Use Standards or Quality?

While we are busy evangelising and promoting Standards, Guidelines, and
Accessibility ... we need to somehow focus on what is out there and
available to download, install, and use.

I am referring to canned or already developed packaged systems or
software:
CMS
Bulletin boards, forums
Chat software, systems
Forms
Galleries
Blogs, publishing systems
Library Card Cataloging systems or software
Catalog packages for commerce
Shopping cart systems
etc...

I realize the w3c and possibly other groups do not wish to get involved
in promoting one package or company over any other, yet, we need to look
at the reality of what is being used by many others. We need to somehow
gather a collection of those items that may be supportive of standards,
and others that may not be too hard to modify to the standards level.

Maybe this can be researched and done on the personal level, or via
well-visited sites. The reality, many may not have programming or
development skills to produce their own and use what has already been
created. It is crazy to be in a position to be stuck with what is
available. We need to have available a list[which may be very short] of
items that are usable or can be modified. We also need to somehow get a
message to those creating these items, that standards, guidelines, and
accessible end products are a goal that is worthy to reach or work and
possibly a level above the competition. Or in other words, makes their
work or projects more desirable in the long run.

I have a few items started on a list, but I am interested in any that
may fit or come close for any others. Also, my list of usables or often
used by others might be short. There may be other items that are used
frequently by businesses or web designers that I overlooked.

I believe I spend a lot of time looking at various items to see if they:
[1] Are close or meet these standards in some way.
[2] Are not close, and I dig and look to see if they can be modified or
fixed to meet standards in some way. [templates, css, etc.].

Item 2 can be very time-consuming to fix what is already created and may
be in numerous documents, files, includes, or templates.

holly

Received on Friday, 11 July 2003 07:06:16 UTC