Re: Issue 142: Video Poster [Was: Reminder: January Change Proposal Deadlines]

Hi Janina,

> Thanks, Laura. This is valuable information.

You are welcome.

> May I amend my assertion to say that the need for alt text is not
> controversial among the TF?

Probably if Ian is not considered part of the task force. I don't
remember what the rules are for requirements to be in good standing.

> It seems to me we need to address the disagreements in the TF before we
> take on any misunderstanding in the wider WG.

Yes.

> I'm hanging on to this email for the day when we get our TF ducks in a
> row on video poster, though.

Okay. Thanks.

Best Regards,
Laura

> Laura Carlson writes:
>> Hi Janina, John, and all,
>>
>> > Janina Sajka wrote:
>> >> John Foliot wrote:
>>
>> >> I have asked numerous non-sighted users and other accessibility
>> >> specialists for their feedback on this issue, and almost without pause
>> >> they all agree that knowing the text alternative for a placeholder
>> >> image
>> >> that *stands in* for a video is an important piece of data they wish to
>> >> know/understand.
>>
>> > I believe we all agree on this. If so, let's take this off the table.
>>
>> From reading the bug and the resolution, it seems that the editor does
>> not agree that it is an important use case. It is a fundamental
>> disagreement. I suspect other HTML Working group members will not
>> agree either. They won't comprehend why any type mechanism to supply a
>> text alternative for a video key frame is functionally required in
>> HTML5.
>>
>> The Editor's Bug Comments
>>
>> * Ian's Comment to Everett:
>>
>> "I'm confused. Why would you (a blind user) want to know what the
>> poster frame is? How does it affect you?"
>> http://www.w3.org/Bugs/Public/show_bug.cgi?id=10642#c7
>>
>> * Ian's Comment in his WONTFIX resolution:
>>
>> "...why would a user with a visual impairment not want to know: well,
>> why would they? Heck, why would a user with 20/20 vision want to know
>> what the poster frame is? The poster frame's only job is to look
>> pretty and manipulate the user into starting the video, what it shows
>> is of minimal importance to the user. What matters is what the video
>> shows, not what the poster frame shows...
>> Status: Rejected
>> Change Description: no spec change
>> Rationale: The rationale provided is that text is needed to help users
>> of ATs determine the topic and mood of the video. However, that
>> information is not (necessarily) provided by the poster frame, and
>> thus cannot be considered an alternative to the poster frame. It is
>> also not an alternative to the video. It is the title or caption of
>> the video, for which we already have a multitude of mechanisms such as
>> title="", <figcaption>, <h1>, and aria-labelledby=""."
>> http://www.w3.org/Bugs/Public/show_bug.cgi?id=10642#c22
>>
>> I suspect if the use case is not stated in no uncertain terms in the
>> change proposal for HTML-ISSUE-142, it will be decided against by the
>> HTML Chairs for the same reason longdesc was decided against. Longdesc
>> was decided against by the Chairs because, "The strongest argument
>> against inclusion was the lack of use cases that clearly and directly
>> support this specific feature of the language."
>> http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/public-html/2010Aug/att-0112/issue-30-decision.html
>> That statement seems to be based on Lachan's argument in the poll. He
>> said, "I strongly object to this proposal on the grounds that no
>> compelling use cases - in fact, none at all - have ever been presented
>> by advocates for longdesc..."
>> http://www.w3.org/2002/09/wbs/40318/issue-30-objection-poll/results
>>
>> John, please consider supplying use case(s) for ISSUE-142: poster-alt.
>> A use case describes who can do what. It states a scenario from a
>> user's perspective. No doubt it would be used to determine if any type
>> mechanism to supply a text alternative for a video key frame is
>> functionally required in HTML5.
>>
>> Best Regards,
>> Laura
>>
>> --
>> Laura L. Carlson
>
> --
>
> Janina Sajka, Phone: +1.443.300.2200
>   sip:janina@asterisk.rednote.net
>
> Chair, Open Accessibility janina@a11y.org 
> Linux Foundation  http://a11y.org
>
> Chair, Protocols & Formats
> Web Accessibility Initiative http://www.w3.org/wai/pf
> World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)
>
>


-- 
Laura L. Carlson

Received on Wednesday, 5 January 2011 00:30:06 UTC