funneling public feedback to the HTML Accessibility Task Force

aloha!

it has been sporadically, but repeatedly, reported that, unless one is 
subscribed to the public-html-a11y@w3.org emailing list, one cannot post 
to the list...

this has frustrated many HTML WG members who wish, for example, to query 
the TF on specific questions that pertain to how assistive technologies 
handle specific bits of HTML, what an AT is capable of, and to 
reality-check accessibility concerns expressed in the abstract...

i checked the HTML A11y TF Work Statement and asked the chairs for a
clarification as to where such input can be sent -- here are the 
pertinent comments from bug 10455:

http://www.w3.org/Bugs/Public/show_bug.cgi?id=10455

[note that i had previously suggested to benjamin to use 
public-html-a11y@w3.org to funnel information requests to the 
HTML A11y Task Force, but in comment #71 for bug 10455 benjamin 
reported that he, like shelley powers, is unable to post to 
public-html-a11y@w3.org]

------- Comment #74 From Gregory J. Rosmaita 2010-09-02 21:29:36 -------

in reply to comment #71

benjamin -- i for one would very much welcome more and varied 
participation in the HTML A11y TF, especially yours, as i have found 
your work for the WG to be consistently thorough...

re-checking the TF's work statement, located at:

http://www.w3.org/WAI/PF/html-task-force

i found the following:

QUOTE
Members of the public who are not covered by the W3C Patent Policy 
can send input to the public-pfwg-comments mailing list 
[public-pfwg-comments archive], or the public-html-comments mailing 
list [public-html-comments archive]. Messages should clearly indicate 
the deliverable to which they are related and that they are relevant 
to the work of the HTML Accessibility Task Force.
UNQUOTE

since this has been a question that has arisen before (how to submit 
comments so that they are efficiently and expeditiously brought to 
the attention of the HTML Accessibility Task Force's members and 
facilitators) would it be possible for the chairs to speak on this 
issue, as:

1. there are already too many HTML5-centric lists to which one can 
post; how best to funnel feedback directly to the A11y TF needs to 
be determined by the chairs, as the public-html-a11y@w3.org list is 
publicly viewable, but one cannot -- as you pointed out -- post to it 
if one isn't already subscribed to public-html-a11y; 

2. the severe limitations of bugzilla -- in the case of this bug, like 
so many others, without headers to mark the beginning of individual 
comments, everything after the FORM-stuffed-in-a-TABLE appears as 
undifferentiated text, making it difficult to navigate what not only 
constitutes the "meat of the matter" but also comprises the vast bulk 
of the information contained in the bug report without recourse to 
copying-and-pasting the complete bug report into a plain text editor 
(which is obviously less-than-optimal, as one is then forced to work on 
a snapshot of the bug report, rather than working with a document that 
may be updated during the composition of a comment

therefore, should accessibility inquiries, comments, questions and 
suggestions be funneled to the HTML A11y TF via 
public-pfwg-comments@w3.org ?


------- Comment #79 from Paul Cotton  2010-09-04 00:43:57 -------

(In reply to comment #74)
> in reply to comment #71

> therefore, should accessibility inquiries, comments, questions and 
> suggestions be funneled to the HTML A11y TF via 
> public-pfwg-comments@w3.org ?

The HTML WG Chairs feel that the answer to this question is YES.

If anyone has difficulty doing this they should contain one of the HTML WG
chairs for assistance.

/paulc

END OF QUOTES FROM BUG 10455

would it be possible to discuss the issue of how to expeditiously and 
efficiently funnel feedback/queries to the HTML A11y Task Force at the
9 September 2010 meeting?

thanks, gregory.
----------------------------------------------------------
He that will not apply new remedies must expect new evils; 
for time is the great innovator.      -- Sir Francis Bacon
----------------------------------------------------------
            Gregory J. Rosmaita: oedipus@hicom.net
        Camera Obscura: http://www.hicom.net/~oedipus/
    Oedipus' Online Complex: http://my.opera.com/oedipus/
United Blind Advocates for Talking Signs: http://ubats.org
----------------------------------------------------------

Received on Wednesday, 8 September 2010 20:13:09 UTC