Re: alert versus inform (was Re: Draft for signing off)

"Gregory J. Rosmaita" wrote:
> 
> aloha, charles!
> 
> thanks for your expeditious reply...
> 
> i do have one question on the 18 december draft...  the text for Checkpoint 4.1
> reads:
> 
> quote
>    4.1 Check for and inform the author of accessibility problems.
>           [Relative Priority]
>           Note: Accessibility problems should be detected automatically
>           where possible. Where this is not possible, the tool may need
>           to prompt the user to make decisions, or to manually check for
>           certain types of problem.
> unquote
> 
> i still fail to "see" why we switched from "alert" to "inform" -- we have a
> very strong definition of alert in the techniques document, 

1) It was decided in the 15 December teleconf [1].
2) People felt  that "alert" in general meant something different from
  "alert" as defined in the document.
3) "Inform" was chosen as an umbrella for alerts, prompts, etc.

 - Ian


[1] http://www.w3.org/WAI/AU/telecon-15dec99



> which, if ported to
> ATAG itself, would have removed any potential confusion that we were directing
> developers to use a platform specific mechanism which also happens to be called
> an alert...
> 
> so, i propose keeping the word alert in checkpoint 4.1, porting the techniques
> document's definition of the term alert to ATAG, and hyperlinking the word
> alert to the expanded definition...
> 
> and, while i realize that, if we are to reconsider the ramifications of every
> noun, adverb, adjective, and verb used in the document to ensure that none of
> them conflict with their use in a platform-specific setting, that ATAG will
> never be finalized, i do believe that this particular checkpoint needs to
> convey the full gamut of functionalities captured in the Techniques document's
> definition of accessibility...
> 
> gregory
> 
> At 10:59 AM 12/22/99 -0500, you wrote:
> >The draft has not been successfully mounted to W3C space. It will be
> >announced as soon as I get it there. In fact I believe there are only minor
> >editorial differences (cleaning up the use of user / author and so on, and
> >shifting the sentence about existing tools that do some things around)
> >
> >So people sould sign off on the current draat if they are not concerned
> >about
> >editorial stuff (for the record, I am signing off on it) or "watch this
> >space" otherwise.
> >
> >In the absence o any comments, there seems to be little point in holding a
> >teleconference this afternoon.
> >
> >Charles
> >
> >
> >On Wed, 22 Dec 1999, Gregory J. Rosmaita wrote:
> >
> >  aloha, jutta!
> >
> >  although, on 20 december, you wrote:
> >
> >  quote
> >   Due to network problems Charles was experiencing, a number of edits did not
> >   make it into the draft. As a result the draft to sign off on will be posted
> >   tomorrow and the deadline for signing off will be Wednesday at the end of
> >   the day.
> >  unquote
> >
> >  the list never received confirmation that the corrected draft had been
> >  successfully mounted in W3C space...  is the draft which is located at:
> >          http://www.w3.org/WAI/AU/PR-WAI-AUTOOLS-19991218/
> >  the current draft?  is it the draft that will form the basis of our
> >discussion
> >  later today?  there isn't an agenda posted to confirm whether or not this is
> >  the corrected draft...
> >
> >  gregory
> >
> >
> >  At 10:46 AM 12/20/99 -0500, you wrote:
> >  >Due to network problems Charles was experiencing, a number of edits did not
> >  >make it into the draft. As a result the draft to sign off on will be posted
> >  >tomorrow and the deadline for signing off will be Wednesday at the end of
> >  >the day.
> >  >
> >  >Jutta
> >  >
> >  >At 5:24 PM -0500 12/18/99, Ian Jacobs wrote:
> >  >>Hello,
> >  >>
> >  >>I have published the 18 December version of the ATAG Guidelines [1]
> >  >>and Techniques Document [2]. In addition to changes made
> >  >>by Charles (which I will let him document), I made the following
> >  >>changes:
> >  >>
> >  >>1) Incorporated changes from 15 Dec atag teleconf
> >  >>   http://www.w3.org/WAI/AU/telecon-15dec99
> >  >>
> >  >>2) Incorporated editorial changes from Ian's propsals of 12 December
> >  >>   http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/w3c-wai-au/1999OctDec/0295.html
> >  >>
> >  >>3) Deleted the term "impairment" and replaced with "disability"
> >  >>   (one occurrence). Based on 14 December CG decision to not use
> >  >>"impairment"
> >  >>   http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Member/w3c-wai-cg/1999OctDec/0053.html
> >  >>
> >  >>4) Deleted the term "alt-text" and replace with "text-equivalent"
> >  >>   (notably in the section on A-prompt).
> >  >>
> >  >>5) Changed "fulfill a checkpoint" to "satisfy a checkpoint"
> >  >>   (for unity with other guidelines).
> >  >>
> >  >>6) Added the following links:
> >  >>   a) Techniques now back link to the Guidelines (via the checkpoint
> >  >>number)
> >  >>      Linking is to the latest version of the guidelines.
> >  >>   b) Samples (e.g., Amaya) now back link to the Techniques (via
> >  >>      the checkpoint number)
> >  >>
> >  >>7) I made some changes to the document processing machinery to
> >  >>   align ATAG and UAAG (and ultimately WCAG). Readers should notice
> >  >>   absolutely no different. But if you remark anything strange,
> >  >>   please let the editors know.
> >  >>
> >  >>Thank you,
> >  >>
> >  >> - Ian
> >  >>
> >  >>[1] http://www.w3.org/WAI/AU/PR-WAI-AUTOOLS-19991218/
> >  >>[2] http://www.w3.org/WAI/AU/WD-WAI-AUTOOLS-TECHS-19991218
> >  >>--
> >  >>Ian Jacobs (jacobs@w3.org)   http://www.w3.org/People/Jacobs
> >  >>Tel/Fax:                     +1 212 684-1814
> >  >>Cell:                        +1 917 450-8783
> >  >
> >
> >  --------------------------------------------------------
> >  He that lives on Hope, dies farting
> >       -- Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richard's Almanack, 1763
> >  --------------------------------------------------------
> >  Gregory J. Rosmaita <unagi69@concentric.net>
> >     WebMaster and Minister of Propaganda, VICUG NYC
> >          <http://www.hicom.net/~oedipus/vicug/index.html>
> >  --------------------------------------------------------
> >
> >
> >--
> >Charles McCathieNevile    mailto:charles@w3.org    phone: +61 409 134 136
> >W3C Web Accessibility Initiative                    http://www.w3.org/WAI
> >21 Mitchell Street, Footscray, VIC 3011,  Australia (I've moved!)
> >
> 
> --------------------------------------------------------
> He that lives on Hope, dies farting
>      -- Benjamin Franklin, Poor Richard's Almanack, 1763
> --------------------------------------------------------
> Gregory J. Rosmaita <unagi69@concentric.net>
>    WebMaster and Minister of Propaganda, VICUG NYC
>         <http://www.hicom.net/~oedipus/vicug/index.html>
> --------------------------------------------------------

-- 
Ian Jacobs (jacobs@w3.org)   http://www.w3.org/People/Jacobs
Tel/Fax:                     +1 212 684-1814
Cell:                        +1 917 450-8783

Received on Wednesday, 22 December 1999 12:00:40 UTC