Re: Proposed changes to Guideline 7

Jon Gunderson wrote:
> 
> I think that we need in the introduction to this section information on the
> following navigation concepts:
> 
> Sequential
> Direct
> Searching
> Tree navigation
> 
> The introduction would summarize the adavantages and disadvantages for
> different types of users and task situations.  This would high light the
> major techniques that we have discussed during the past year without
> necessarily burying the concepts in the techniques document or creating
> long lists of checkpoints.

An introduction to those topics seems appropriate.
 
> >3) I propose that we leave 7.7 (text search) and 7.8
> >   (document tree navigation). However, several issues
> >   persist about searching:
> 
> JRG: I think that the navigation of the document tree is just one
> techniques and that it we should just have one checkpoint stating:
> "Allow the user to navigate all elements in the document."
> Priority: 1

> The tree navigation would be described as one way to acheive this.

Would this be for dependent user agents only? I don't think
it's a Priority 1 since you can get at content through other means.
I think perhaps Priority 2. 

My question remains on this point: what accessibility barriers
fall by being able to navigate all elements? Or is this for the
techniques document?


> >   a) Do we search on the document source or rendered content?
> >      At the teleconf, the Working Group expressed consensus that
> >      searching should be on rendered content only (recall: rendered
> >      does not mean only that which is in the viewport, but the
> >      entire document as rendered).
> 
> JRG: I think we say the text content of elements.  With scripting some text
> content may not be rendered unless the user takes acton or turns off
> support for style sheets.

I guess we should ask these questions:

 a) Are we talking about all user agents or dependent only?
 b) Should users be able to search text hidden by style sheets?
 c) Should users be able to search text in attribute values if not
    rendered?

I could see search functionalities changing depending on whether
the dependent UA or browser is offering the functionality. So if the
dependent UA has access to the DOM, it could allow searching, say
on attribute values. This would surprise me from a browser, however.

> The only other major technique that I think fits here, is Denis Ansons
> proposal of move to next thing like this.

I had hoped that that proposal would be subsumed by the checkpoint
to allow users to configure search schemes.

 - Ian

-- 
Ian Jacobs (jacobs@w3.org)   http://www.w3.org/People/Jacobs
Tel/Fax:                     +1 212 684-1814

Received on Friday, 18 June 1999 11:04:15 UTC