- From: <bugzilla@jessica.w3.org>
- Date: Tue, 02 Aug 2011 02:01:39 +0000
- To: public-html-a11y@w3.org
http://www.w3.org/Bugs/Public/show_bug.cgi?id=13513 Summary: Caution against textarea with wrap=hard Product: HTML WG Version: unspecified Platform: All OS/Version: All Status: NEW Keywords: a11y, a11ytf Severity: normal Priority: P2 Component: HTML5 spec (editor: Ian Hickson) AssignedTo: ian@hixie.ch ReportedBy: gcl-0039@access-research.org QAContact: public-html-bugzilla@w3.org CC: mike@w3.org, public-html-wg-issue-tracking@w3.org, public-html@w3.org, public-html-a11y@w3.org The HTML5 spec should include advice to authors that textarea elements should not be use with wrap=hard unless there is significant need. Inserting hard line breaks without the user's knowledge or intent can cause difficulties for users who later try to read the data submitted. Use case: Steve has low vision and so has the text size in his browser set quite high, and because the browser window is limited to the width of his screen, he sees short lines of text. He enters a long bug description into a web form, but because the form has been crafted with wrap=hard, the browser inserts hard line breaks before submitting the text. The result is that the bug is entered into the database with hard line breaks every twenty characters. Later, when other users view the bug, they find it incredibly annoying that the text has such short lines and takes up so much vertical space, particularly when printed out. They ask Steve to either stop using his large print settings or stop submitting his own bug reports. (This same problem would occur for users who reduce the size of their browser window in order to make room for assistive technology windows, and for users who run on mobile devices.) Use case: Beth runs with her browser text slightly enlarged. She is browsing the same bug database, where wrap=hard has caused bug descriptions to have hard line breaks inserted where they wrapped on the submitter's screen, generally every 80 characters. However, since text is slightly larger on Beth's screen, so lines wrap after 70 characters. The result is that every line that appears on the screen for most users is for Beth broken into two lines, the first up to 70 characters and the second up to 10 characters long. This alternation between long and short lines make lengthy text difficult for Beth to read. -- Configure bugmail: http://www.w3.org/Bugs/Public/userprefs.cgi?tab=email ------- You are receiving this mail because: ------- You are on the CC list for the bug.
Received on Tuesday, 2 August 2011 02:01:41 UTC