Re: CfC: Issue 122

> On 12/11/15, David MacDonald <david100@sympatico.ca <mailto:david100@sympatico.ca>> wrote:
>> I believe at the time not all browsers implemented the clickable label
>> behaviour... it would have been difficult to get consensus on, I think it
>> might still be difficult to get consensus... I'll vote for it...
>> 
>> Cheers,
>> David MacDonald


When was the time it was originally voted on? 2008? From my research all browsers supported clickable labels at that point in time. I remember that Mobile Safari for iOS did not but that was a bug that Apple fixed. 

I’m not sure why it would have been difficult to get consensus on. 

http://reference.sitepoint.com/html/label
Compatibility

INTERNET EXPLORER FIREFOX SAFARI OPERA CHROME
5.5 6.0 7.0 8.0 1.0 1.5 2.0 3.0 3.5 1.3 2.0 3.1 4.0 9.2 9.5 10.0 2.0
Full Full Full Full Full Full Full Full Full None None Full Full Full Full Full Full
Every browser listed supports this element type.

Safari 2 and earlier versions didn’t support the feature that allows users to click on a label to focus on the associated form control, but thankfully, this functionality was added in version 3.

http://www.456bereastreet.com/archive/200711/use_the_label_element_to_make_your_html_forms_accessible/
Posted on November 19, 2007
People that can use a mouse but lack or have reduced fine motor control will have problems targeting checkboxes and radio buttons (they are really small). When checkboxes and radio buttons have properly associated labels, the label text will also be clickable, thus making the target area much larger and easier to hit. This obviously has usability benefits for all users.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safari_version_history
Safari 2.0 was in 2005
Safari 3.0 was in 2007

>>>> If you have concerns about this proposed consensus position that have
>>>> not
>>>> been discussed already and feel that those concerns result in you “not
>>> being
>>>> able to live with” this position, please let the group know before the
>>> CfC
>>>> deadline.

I can’t honestly “live with” this position that they are not required but I don’t want to drag it out either. I am curious about the history of the decision though. 

I appreciate that it will be in some future version of WCAG if it’s not now!

Thanks!

Paul J. Adam
Accessibility Evangelist 
www.deque.com