RE: DC2002 and Accessibility Metadata

On Mon, 16 Sep 2002, SHARPE, Ian wrote:

> It is "our" responsiblity to ensure that it is as easy as can possibly be to
> set up a profile. Agreed this is not straight forward as can be seen from
> the use and set up of CSS but is possible.

I agree with that, I was playing devils' advocate for a bit there
> 
> For what it's worth, I don't believe we should always be working to the
> lowest common denominator. Yes we absolutely MUST take everything into
> consideration and do everything feasibly possible to cater for all but we
> have to draw the line somewhere at some point. We can't halt progress. We

it is where to draw that line that we seem to have a problem with,  I just
try to make sure we remember that the level of technology that "we" have
in the industrialized part of the world is not necessarily the same level
as the rest of the world, and if you are a disabled person in Nicaragua
for example your computer is probably second hand, you pay for access to
the internet by the minute and your modem may be 2400 baud. but this
persons need for what the internet has to offer may be more important than
what we need, especially since that may be the ONLY access to the
knowledge they need.  

> absolutely must keep an eye on the future to ensure that new and emerging
> technologies support accessiblity from the outset. The fact that we have

no argument there, the future technologies of today are the antiques of
next year the more access built in the less adaptation that has to be done
by the IT folks on the front line.   of course one of the pet peeves of
most people using adaptive gear is that every advance seems to push one
more group of disabled users off the net.

> even been asked to comment on this proposal is indeed testament to how far
> things have come which I welcome. It ain't going to happen over night but

that is indeed a step in the right direction

> rather this than the far to common "it's not accessible so how do we fix it"
> model. 

heck just getting a "how do we fix it" is more than most do.

> If individuals don't want to use this feature for whatever reason then
> that's fine, but let us at least give them the option. Yes there will always
> be situations which mean a particular approach will not be suitable but in

I agree, but I think there should be some basic level that should always
be a fall back position, and since there are few if any pieces of
equipment that can not use ASCII text I think that should be the fall back
position for every improvement (IMO) and that if anything has to be
dropped maybe it should be some of the intervening steps, always leaving
the basic ASCII text mode as the "bottom line" even an old TR-80 can read
that!  And yes I know folks that are still using them.

 > this case I haven't heard 
> any yet which couldn't be over come.

but I'm sure there will be some who will find them.

> I personally feel the benefits outweigh any disadvantages.

benefits and disadvantages are always in the eye of the beholder.  I am
writing to you in PINE, not because I don't have Mozilla or Netscape but
because for my needs it is the best.  do I see any benefit in fine
graphics and fancy eyecandy, nope. so what is to one a plus is to another
a negative.  and I for one would not use anything that requires me to
allow the server access to my computer, I have the highest firewall I
could establish (which I am sure has holes in it, just haven't found em
all yet) and I won't even visit a site that requires cookies'.  I use the
net to "find" what I want, then I call or mail em my order, I am far from
unique here. not to mention the millions who refuse to even go on line for
fear of loss of privacy. (real or imagined) M$ is doing nothing to
aleviate these fears among the hold outs.
  

Bob


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Received on Monday, 16 September 2002 11:10:21 UTC