Re: "TECHNOLOGY, Web Content" definition for ATAG2

Hi Phill,

Thanks for your comments. This is obviously a key definition that many  
groups are interested in, so I don't want to give anyone the  
impression that I'm trying to do this alone. My thoughts are in-line,  
marked by "JR":

Quoting Phill Jenkins <pjenkins@us.ibm.com>:

JR: First a clarification of the term in question. By "TECHNOLOGY, Web  
Content" I meant "Web Content Technology".

> I would recommend including the notion of encoded formats or content types
> that require a plug-in.  For example, many content types require a
> "plug-in" to render the content.  I suppose a plug-in is a user agent
> within a user agent that can't render the content type itself directly.

JR: In my proposed definition, I had intended "data format" to include  
these things, but I'm open to wording that clarifies this. In general,  
I think plug-ins can be assumed to be part of the user agent.

> I would separate your definition to distinguish or define interactive
> content types.  Such as forms and widgets that change the visual
> presentation, such as expanding or collapsing a tree view, something more
> than just "clicking on a link" to go to another content type page or view.
>  FLASH is an example of an interactive content type while an MP3 file is
> only "played" or rendered in audio by the player or plug-in.  You always
> interact with the user agent, but many content types include interaction
> inside the content rendered by the user agent.

JR: Maybe the the following changes would address this (changes in CAPS):

"A mechanism for encoding instructions to be rendered, executed OR  
PLAYED by user agents. Technologies may include markup languages, data  
formats, or programming languages that authors may use alone or in  
combination to create end-user experiences that range from static Web  
pages TO MULTIMEDIA PRESENTATIONS to dynamic Web applications. Some  
common examples of Web content technologies include HTML, CSS, SVG,  
PNG, PDF, Flash, and JavaScript."


> I would strongly recommend NOT using the term "technology" to replace
> content type or format.  Technology, Information Technology, and
> Electronic & Information Technology (E&IT) are much higher level terms
> that often include the user agent, the operating system, and the hardware
> to render the information.

JR: I'm not fixed on "technology", though as my clarification above  
points out, the full term is "Web content technology".

> I would NOT include the notion of "programming languages" in the
> definition of "content", but I agree it is part of the higher level term
> of "technology", because much of the "programming logic" can he hosted on
> the server or hidden on the client and is used to manipulate the content
> based on user interaction and outside inputs (i.e., RSS)

JR: I don't want to speak for the WCAG-WG here, but the WEB CONTENT  
Accessibility Guidelines does cover user interfaces generated by  
executing program code so I think it makes things more clear if the  
term WEB CONTENT is defined to cover this.

> I copied Andi Snow-Weaver, a member of the WCAG 2.0 working group and
> co-chair of the 508 TEITAC Web & Software Subcommittee that is also
> dealing with definition.  The definition and terms need to harmonized
> across WCAG/ATAG as well as 508 and other standards.

JR: Thanks. The more people thinking about this, the better chance we  
have of getting it right.

Cheers,
Jan


>
> Regards,
> Phill Jenkins
> IBM Research - Human Ability & Accessibility Center
> http://www.ibm.com/able
>
>
>
>
>
> Jan Richards <jan.richards@utoronto.ca>
> Sent by: w3c-wai-au-request@w3.org
> 07/25/2007 02:49 PM
>
> To
> WAI-AUWG List <w3c-wai-au@w3.org>
> cc
>
> Subject
> "TECHNOLOGY, Web Content" definition for ATAG2
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Hi,
>
> On Monday's call, the term "TECHNOLOGY, Web Content" was introduced as a
> potential replacement for "Content Type" in ATAG2 and "Technology" in
> WCAG (it came out of a meeting between Michael Cooper, Al Gilman and I):
>
>
> TECHNOLOGY, Web Content
>
> A mechanism for encoding instructions to be rendered or executed by user
> agents. Technologies may include markup languages, data formats, or
> programming languages that authors may use alone or in combination to
> create end-user experiences that range from static Web pages to dynamic
> Web applications. Some common examples of Web content technologies
> include HTML, CSS, SVG, PNG, PDF, Flash, and JavaScript.
>
>
> BTW: The issue of techniques for creating Web Applications using DOM
> manipulation is covered by this reading:
> "programming languages" "executed by user agents" to create "dynamic Web
> applications".
>
>
> Cheers,
> Jan
>
>
>
>

-- 
Jan Richards, User Interface Design Specialist
Adaptive Technology Resource Centre (ATRC), University of Toronto

   Email: jan.richards@utoronto.ca
   Web:   http://jan.atrc.utoronto.ca
   Phone: 416-946-7060
   Fax:   416-971-2896

Received on Thursday, 26 July 2007 13:59:20 UTC