RE: WCAG 2.0 -> 3 - Bottom Layer (Server Side Techniques)

Hi Geoff - yes indeed, we see the need to have server side techniques as you
describe. We haven't focused too much on that yet but were planning on
turning our attention that and other kinds of techniques soon, once we pass
the current hurdle to release a substantially revised version of the HTML
techniques. Some people have already been putting thought into this; it's
possible that their area of focus is somewhat different than yours, but I
think it would make sense to start working on them together and if two
distinct types of "server side techniques" emerge, we can split the
documents or something.

Although the techniques teleconference calls are not at a good time for
Australia, we should find a way to pull you into this. Since it sounds like
you have some ideas to start with there might be a lot of progress quickly.
I'll follow up soon. Michael

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Geoff Deering [mailto:gdeering@acslink.net.au]
> Sent: Tuesday, August 26, 2003 1:26 AM
> To: WAI GL
> Subject: WCAG 2.0 -> 3 - Bottom Layer (Server Side Techniques)
> 
> 
> 
> I feel there is a section here that needs addressing, and 
> yes, if others
> feel it is relevant and warranted, I'll draft the material on 
> it.  This is
> addressing "server side techniques".
> 
> http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20/#how-to
> 
> see
> 
> <WCAG2 version="W3C Working Draft 24 June 2003">
> 3 - Bottom layer - Technology-specific application information
> The Techniques Documents will include code examples, screen 
> shots, and other
> information specific to a technology.  These documents will be
> non-normative. They will contain different strategies for meeting the
> requirements as well as the current preferred approaches 
> where they exist.
> Examples include:
> 
> * Hypertext Markup Language (HTML) and Extensible Hypertext 
> Markup Language
> (XHTML) Techniques
> * Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) Techniques
> * Server-side scripting Techniques
> * Client-side scripting Techniques
> * Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) Techniques
> * Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language (SMIL) Techniques
> * Extensible Markup Language (XML) Techniques
> 
> (These will become active links as the corresponding working 
> drafts are
> published)
> </WCAG2>
> 
> I am not too sure what defines "Server-side scripting 
> Techniques", but as a
> web developer I understand that as anything on the server 
> side that has to
> do with programming or markup.  What that does not refer to is server
> management and configuration techniques that address WCAG (and other
> issues).  I feel there is a real need to add "Server 
> Management Techniques"
> into this list.
> 
> Why? Web sites can greatly improve accessibility and 
> usability addressing
> server configuration and management issues.
> 
> For instance; server side redirects/redirection.  See
> 
> http://httpd.apache.org/docs/mod/mod_alias.html#redirect
> 
> If the redirection is marked as permanent, and if the user 
> requested the URL
> for redirection from a bookmark, the user agent is supposed 
> to update the
> bookmark (I haven't looked at UAAG thoroughly, but this was 
> always meant to
> be the case in handling HTTP).
> 
> There are heaps of other server side techniques, like using 
> mod_speling,
> mod_rewrite, etc.
> 
> There is also the hugely underused and undervalued 
> "Transparent content
> negotiation" (TCN), see
> 
> http://httpd.apache.org/docs/content-negotiation.html
> 
> It's true that Netscape 2.0 destroyed this feature by getting 
> that UA to
> market as quickly as possible, and sending back any requests 
> for browser
> configs with "*.*" (ie - everything including the kitchen 
> sink is installed
> on this UA), but it is reasonably well supported these days.  
> Well enough to
> build Web Services.
> 
> TCN becomes very important and far more sophisticated in XML content
> delivery systems such as Apache/Cocoon 
(http://cocoon.apache.org/).  This is
something I am spending more time with and would be happy to try and deliver
some Techniques, etc for, later down the track.

Is there any value or point to addressing these as part of WCAG2 Techniques?

Geoff Deering

Received on Tuesday, 26 August 2003 15:47:31 UTC