Re: PDF specs (was PDF in WCAG 2)

I truly want to know what can be done in pdf that cannot be done equally
well in accessible w3c formats which is accessible.  It seems to me that if
the content is providable accessibly in pdf, it can only be even more so in
a format that is more widely accessible.


Johnnie Apple Seed

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Joe Clark" <joeclark@joeclark.org>
To: "WAI-IG" <w3c-wai-ig@w3.org>
Sent: Thursday, August 26, 2004 10:45 AM
Subject: PDF specs (was PDF in WCAG 2)



>        a) The document (which you initially referenced) requires the
> *latest* reader, something that I do not have.

... even though it's free. The first spec document Loretta pointed us to
is indeed in PDF 1.5 format (untagged, no less!) and requires a program
than can read v1.5 files. Loretta then pointed us to a version readable by
earlier programs. Hence, your objections have been rectified.


>        b) Some users (Bob at Access Systems for example) will still not
> be able to access this information, as his current personal set-up does
> not accommodate...

As has been well established on this esteemed List, that's a user-agent
issue.

>        c) I had also wonder out loud (again) why, after going through
> all of the steps required to make PDFs accessible (essentially -
> structured, semantic authoring), that the authors not *also* make the
> content available as HTML... Same content, different delivery
> mechanisms.

Because *not all content can be expressed in HTML*. I encourage Working
Group members to throw off the shackles of philistinism and learn about
the true range of documents people wish to create *and make accessible*.
It ain't all about <h1>, <p>, and <div>.

Still snickering, John?

-- 

     Joe Clark | joeclark@joeclark.org
     Accessibility <http://joeclark.org/access/>
     Expect criticism if you top-post

Received on Thursday, 26 August 2004 15:06:39 UTC