Re: Check for CSS seems less useful than test for use of deprecated elements (e.g., font, center, strike, i, b, u)

On Mon, Jan 10, 2011 at 5:53 AM, <noreply@w3.org> wrote:

>
> Name: Detlev Fischer
> Email: fischer@dias.de
> Affiliation: DIAS GmbH
> Document: TD
> Item Number: C22
> Part of Item: Tests
> Comment Type: technical
> Summary of Issue: Check for CSS seems less useful than test for use of
> deprecated elements (e.g., font, center, strike, i, b, u)
> Comment (Including rationale for any proposed change):
> The lack of styling through CSS does not create in itself a real problem if
> semantic HTML markup is adhered to. Testing whether CSS has been applied
> appropriately seems difficult to do for all possible purposes.
>
> When saying "Check whether CSS properties were used to control the visual
> presentation of text" the problem remains that this does not in itself show
> that CSS has been used correctly without further tests.
>
> Proposed Change:
> Test for use of deprecated elements (e.g., font, center, strike, i, b, u)
> instead.
>
> ================================
Response from the Working Group
================================
You do not need to use this technique if you don't want to. You can do other
things. Use of any technique is optional. They are just ways of doing it if
you want to use them.

The motivation is not to about CSS vs using HTML elements to style the text.
The motivation is to use CSS to control text styling more closely, rather
than using images of text to control text styling.

If you choose to use the technique that says “Using CSS to…” Then you have
to use CSS because that's what the technique is. So, if you use the “using
CSS” technique then you must use CSS. But there is no requirement that you
use this technique.

Regarding use of deprecated elements:  Using something that is deprecated is
not invalid.  It also is not an accessibility issue.  It may not be good
practice but would not cause one to fail this technique.

If incorrect use of CSS results in invalid visual design, it will affect all
users, not just those with disabilities.


Loretta Guarino Reid, WCAG WG Co-Chair
Gregg Vanderheiden, WCAG WG Co-Chair
Michael Cooper, WCAG WG Staff Contact


On behalf of the WCAG Working Group