"Policy" name is obscure

A. http://www.w3.org/WAI/ refers to "Policy" as one Resource
My first intuition is that the policy applies to WAI, or possibly W3C.
It is a link to the document:
http://www.w3.org/WAI/Resources/#po
where the clarification appears, with a link to the details:

Policies Relating to Web Accessibility
http://www.w3.org/WAI/References/Policy

I suggest a more explicit replacement title:
"Government Accessibility Laws and Policies"

I find too much ambiguity in "Policy," whether it is expediency, prudence,
course of action, practical wisdom, polity, or even insurance. I believe a WAI
purpose is to provide the technical expertise and guidelines to effect law. 
"Polity" does include the concept of government regulation.

Random House Webster's dictionary:

Policy(1)
1. a definite course of action adopted for the sake of expediency, 
facility, etc: a new company policy.
2. a course of action adopted and pursued by a government, ruler, political
party, etc.: U.S. trade policy.
3. action or procedure conforming to or considered with reference to prudence
or expediency.
4. prudence, practical wisdom, or expediency.
5. government: polity

[ambiguous but inappropriate second definition: Policy(2)
1. a document embodying a contract of insurance.
2. a method of gambling in which bets are made on numbers to be drawn by 
lottery.]

Polity
1. a particular form of government or system of government: civil polity; 
ecclesiastical polity.
2. a state or other organized community or body.
3. the condition of being constituted as a state or other organized 
community or body.
4. government or administrative regulation.

Regards/Harvey

Received on Saturday, 2 December 2000 01:02:11 UTC