Kynn's Feedback on Working Group Draft

I wrote the following on the plane to New Orleans, based on
hardcopy of the WD-WAI-AUTOOLS-19990225 version of the working
group draft:


TERMINOLOGY:

We need to standardize on the terminology a bit with regards to author vs.
user.  I propose the following standard:

author = the person creating a web page using the authoring tool
user   = the person using the web page via a browser/user agent

Also, the use of "Ensure" as the phrasing of checkpoints is very "weak" and
should be avoided/rewritten.

PRESENTATION:

Techniques should be listed after checkpoints (in the order defined in 1.1),
not before the checkpoints as currently formatted.

Techniques should be labeled with bullet points (UL) rather than the way they
were presented.

BY SECTION:

ABSTRACT:

Change "users" to "authors", and "readers" to "users".

INTRODUCTION:

> "authoring tool" will refer to authoring tools, generation tools and
> conversion tools.

The definitions list more than these; do the guidelines NOT refer to them?

1.1, "Checkpoint" definition:

Change "user agent developer" to "authoring tool developer".

1.1, "Technique" definition:

This paragraph is inapplicable to authoring tools.  Suggest:

     A technique is an example implementation of one or more checkpoints.
     A technique answers the question, "How can I accomplish this checkpoint
     in my authoring tool?"

1.2, Guideline:

Change "users" to "authors".


1.2, definition of [Priority 1], [Priority 2], [Priority 3]

These seem to be correct uses of "user" but I may be wrong.

2.1, Guideline:

Add a sentence to the effect of:

     Interoperability is achieved through the use of shared open standards,
     such as those developed by the W3C.

2.1.1:

Rewrite as:

     Create content in accordance with...

2.1.4:

I agree that this is confusing and does not make particular sense in context.

2.2, Guideline:

The term "support" is solely lacking in definition.  I don't know what it means
here, exactly.  We need to write a definition for it.

2.2.1:  Change "supported" to "recognized" perhaps?

2.3, Title:

Rename this section as "Do not produce inaccessible markup"

2.3, Technique:

Delete the "site map" techinque which seems very out of place.

2.3.1:

Rewrite as "Generate markup that complies with the appropriate sections of the
Web Content Accessibility Guidelines." with link to same.

2.3.2:

Rewrite as:

     Use appropriate accessible solutions in automated markup insertion functions
     even if this means presenting the author with extra prompts for necessary
     information or structure during or following the process.

2.4, Guideline:

"their users" to "authors".

2.4.1:  "users" to "authors"

2.4.3:  Add "or importing" after "for editing".

2.4.4:  Why is this priority one?  Perhaps this should be a technique.

2.5, Guideline:

"user" to "author".

2.5.3:  Is this a technique?  It looks like a technique.

2.6, Techniques, section beginning "Including professionally written descriptions...":

This is not a technique!  It is justification for the guideline and belongs there.
Items 1 and 3, "users" to "authors".

"Default to an accessibility error such as no ALT attribute for images":

I disagree with this suggestion.  There needs to be a better alternative.  We 
should not be suggesting invalid HTML.

2.6.1:  Add "images and" before "multimedia files" for clarity's sake.

2.6.5:

This should be priority 2.  Add "the URI to" before "a long description".

2.6.6:  Delete this one entirely.  I don't see the need for it.

3.1.2:  This should be priority 2.

3.2:  This section should be combined with 3.4

3.2, Techniques:

Add the following technique:

      Include the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines as reference material
      in the authoring tool help files.

3.2.1:

Rewrite as:

     Provide information on accessible web content guidelines in help text.

"Examples" are part of 3.4's checkpoints.

3.3, Guideline:

Add the following list items:

     * Search engine indexing and other machine-processed applications of web
       content
     * Mobile computing devices with limited display and memory devices, such as
       cellular modems, pagers, and PDAs

3.3, Postscript:

"visit the Trace Center" should be a technique?

3.4:  As noted, combine with 3.2.

3.4.1:

Rewrite as:

     Model correct use of accessibility solutions in all help text descriptions
     (e.g., in HTML all IMG elements should appear with alt-text).

3.5:  Retitle section as "Allow authors to configure accessibility mechanisms"

3.5.1, 3.5.2, 3.5.3:  "users" to "authors"

3.5.3:

Should be Priority 3.

3.6, Guideline:  "user" to "author"

3.6.2:  The use of "never" implies a high priority -- should be priority 1.

3.7:  Isn't this whole thing somewhat condescending?

3.7, Guideline:  "user" to "author"

3.7, Technique:  "user's" to "author's"

3.7.1:  Should be priority 3.  "user" to "author"

4:  Change "Users" to "Authors" in section heding.

4.1.1:  Should be priority 2. 

Add technique:

    Allow the author to configure one or more external browsers for automatic
    preview.

4.1.2:

Rewrite as:
    Allow the author to specify display properties (e.g. the font size, letter
    and line spacing, and text and background color, etc.) for editing the
    document that are independent of the document rendering.

4.2, Techniques:

Don't most tags have <>s around them?

4.2.2:  Change to Priority 2.

5:  We need more than just one sample implementation.  What else?  (Tables?)

5.1:  Repeat the relevant checkpoints before listing the Implementations.
Change "user" to "author" throughout this section.

6:  Change "user" to "author" in most occurances in this section.

Alternative Textual Representations:

Change so subheader reads "Alternate Textual Representations (Alt-text)". 
Standardize on using "alt-text" (not '"alt"-text') throughout document.

Inserting and Editing:

Where do we use these definitions?

Selection, Focus, and Events:

Are these used in the document?

Selection:, Current User Selection:

Should we say "author selection" instead of "user selection"?  Probably so.

7:  Add "Kynn Bartlett" unless you really hate this feedback. :)



--
Kynn Bartlett <kynn@hwg.org>
President, Governing Board Member
HTML Writers Guild <URL:http://www.hwg.org>

Received on Saturday, 27 February 1999 19:11:19 UTC