RE: [TECH] Colour Difference Algorithm

I am afraid I find this message wholly unfair to Joe who though
undiplomatically at times (though not, I believe, in this case) has the
best interests of the WAI and PwD at heart. I accept he does reference
his book, however it is freely available and is a good resource for many
of these issues.

Looking at these issues, I agree Joe _is_ being unconstructive but it is
focused at stopping WCAG from using a premise which his research has
shown to be flawed. Such 'unconstructiveness' is sometimes necessary,
for we are not infallible.

From what I understand from both reading his book (and some simple
research of my own), colour blindness is too individual to be corrected
by content providers. However we can take steps to recommend content
providers avoid using colours which exacerbate the problem. This, in my
opinion at least, should be where WCAG stops.

Maybe we should pass on some of our previous thoughts to the User Agents
Working Group and they may be able to incorporate some of the algorithms
we have been looking at to help people compensate for their individual
disability. At the very least we should have an invited expert, who
_can_ authoritatively clarify the issue to everyone's satisfaction.

Perhaps Joe would be good enough to talk to Joel Pokorny from the
University of Chicago on our behalf if the group think him suitable.

Regards,


Tom Croucher

Co-founder Netalley Networks
(http://www.netalleynetworks.com),
BSc(Hons) Computing Student / Information Services Staff University of
Sunderland (http://www.sunderland.ac.uk),
Accessibility Co-ordinator Plone CMS
(http://www.plone.org)


-----Original Message-----
From: w3c-wai-gl-request@w3.org [mailto:w3c-wai-gl-request@w3.org] On
Behalf Of Chris Ridpath
Sent: 27 August 2003 13:45
To: WAI-GL; Joe Clark
Subject: Re: [TECH] Colour Difference Algorithm


> I believe the Working Group continues to:
>
> 1. misunderstand the nature of colour deficiency
> 2. mistakenly overgeneralize and project visual *impairment* onto
> issues of colour
> 3. ignore authoritative published research on colourblindness and
accessibility
>
Please be more constructive in your comments. If you have insight,
enlighten
us.

> The book's been out since October 2002...
>
Please review the mailing list guidelines, especially regarding
soliciting.
http://www.w3.org/WAI/GL/#mailing-list

> I can also forward the text to the list. In any event, use it to
> improve your guidelines.
>
Please summarize your suggestions for colour usage.

Regards,
Chris

Received on Thursday, 28 August 2003 01:11:45 UTC