Dependencies of WAI WCAG on W3C and non-W3C formats

A question on the dependencies on W3C WAI WCAG guidelines on other W3C
formats, and also non-W3C formats.  I think this is within scope for the QA
IG group.

This question is based on the assumption that the W3C WCAG guidelines are a
formal standard and not a set of guidelines.  I know that the name implies
that they are guidelines but [1] uses standards terminology.

WAI WCAG guidelines state [2]:
 Use W3C technologies when they are available and appropriate for a task and
use the latest versions when supported. [Priority 2]

As XHTML is the latest version of HTML does this mean that a HTML 4.0
resource cannot be WAI AA compliant?

Does it mean that a HTML 4 page which was WAI AA compliant became only WAI A
compliant on 1 Aug 2002 when the XHTML 2.0 spec was approved?

Can a page with a GIF image only be WAI A compliant as it doesn't use the
W3C PNG format?

If these questions are silly and the WAI WCAG guidelines are meant to
provide guidelines which need to be interpreted using some common sense, how
does this relate to W3C pages such as [2] and moves to require WAI WCAG
compliance in legislation?

Thanks

Brian


References

1 Why Standards Harmonization is Essential to Web Accessibility, 
 <http://www.w3.org/WAI/EO/Drafts/standard-harmon.html>

2 <http://www.w3.org/TR/1999/WAI-WEBCONTENT-19990505/#tech-latest-w3c-specs>


---------------------------------------
Brian Kelly
UK Web Focus
UKOLN
University of Bath 
BATH
BA2 7AY
Email: B.Kelly@ukoln.ac.uk
Web: http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/
Phone: 01225 383943
FOAF: http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/ukoln/staff/b.kelly/foaf/bkelly-foaf.xrdf
For info on FOAF see http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/ukoln/staff/b.kelly/foaf/

Received on Wednesday, 23 June 2004 10:00:33 UTC