Re: section 2.5 - jan's proposal

I want to point out that although guideline 2.5.1 sounds simple enough, it has
enourmous implications for authoring tools.  The question comes up as to how far
the authoring tool has to carry along the unknown markup through the editing
process.  For example:

     1)  What happens when the unknown markup (or the stuff around it) is
edited, copied or moved within the document?
     2)  How should cut/copy/paste operations of the unknown markup to other
applications be handled (i.e. clipboard operations)?
     3)  What about applying new properties to the unknown markup (styles,
etc.)?
     4)  Should the unknown markup be saved in the application's file format?
What about saving to formats for previous versions of the application?  What
about saving to other interchange formats?

I would argue that even if the application can keep the unrecognized markup on
import, its presence in the native document is too fragile for it to survive in
a meaningful way.

I like checkpoint 2.5.2 because it gives the authoring tool a reasonable out,
i.e. tell the user there is unrecognizable markup on import and let the user
decide whether losing that markup makes the tool unusable for their needs or
not.

-- Bruce




Jan Richards <jan.richards@utoronto.ca>@w3.org on 04/18/99 02:49:55 PM

Sent by:  w3c-wai-au-request@w3.org


To:   "w3c-wai-au@w3.org" <w3c-wai-au@w3.org>
cc:

Subject:  section 2.5 - jan's proposal


Section 2.5 Proposal

2.5.1 Never remove markup that is recommended for accessibility.

Techniques:
(1) Do not change the DTD without notification.
(2) Non-critical changes such as attribute ordering may be made without
notification.

2.5.2 Tools should be capable of updating their validation DTD's.

Techniques: when unrecognized markup is found, the author might be
prompted for the Web location of the generating DTD.

2.5.3 Unrecognized elements and attributes should be preserved until
removed by the author

Techniques:
(1) Unrecognized elements and attributes should not be automatically
removed by conversion or housekeeping processses.
(2) The author may be provided with the option of removing all instances
of a particular piece of markup (element or attribute) as long as it is
made clear that this markup is "unrecognized", not "purposeless" and it
may have an accessibility function.

--
Jan Richards
jan.richards@utoronto.ca
Department of Zoology
University of Toronto

Received on Wednesday, 21 April 1999 14:10:54 UTC