Re: Name of Page Author Guidelines

I agree that site orientation is better.  Also, site orientation brings up
other issues.

For example, if, as a last resort, author takes the "text-only" approach,
then the site should avoid having a "text only" page link into graphics
page, even if the graphics page to which it links has itself a link to a
text only version. In other words, the user shouldn't keep getting kicked
out of the text only version and have to keep getting back in. 

Instead, there should be a self contained text only version of the SITE,
not just particular page, so that once the user is there the user stays
there until he or she explicitly chooses to leave.

For this to be practical, the text-only pages would usually have to be
automatically generated, e.g. via transformations on a common XML original.

Other things that apply to sites, not pages are

- consistent page layout across the site

- the possibility of having one master page that describes the overall look
of the site.  For example, if the pages have a tropical theme, so all
bullets are cocoanuts, all horizontal dividers are rope bridges, all
backgrounds are a pale jungle underbrush, all titles are held aloft by
chimpanzees (one on each side) etc.  that could be descibedone page instead
of having D tags or LONGDESC's all over the place redundantly describing
it.  There would just be a single link on each page pointing to the overall
style description.

There are probably lotsa other site oriented topics but I gotta get to our
4:00 cg call...

Len




At 11:12 AM 11/10/98 -0600, Gregg Vanderheiden wrote:
>
>The question has come up occasionally as to whether the PA guidelines should
>be called Page Author Guidelines or whether they should have a broader
>title -
>
>Web Author Guidelines
>Site Author Guidelines
>Something Else
>
>The idea is that newer technologies and serving technologies are making
>"page" an increasingly ambiguous concept..  and we need to apply the
>guidelines beyond just page technologies.   Since we are close to sealing
>the guidelines up this would be the last and best time to change the name if
>we were going to.  But we need to decide soon.
>
>
>
>
>
>Some thoughts to get you thinking
>
>-  the guidelines seem to focus in at the page
>level.  Although it could be argued that "all images should have
>alternative text" should be applied site-wide but that each instance is
>handled on its own page.  We might need to reword some things…
>
>-  It sheds new light on "transform gracefully."  The definition would
>change
>to be more site-based, "To transform gracefully means that a site remains
>usable despite user, technological, or situational constraints...Creating
>sites that transform gracefully is not more costly, but requires a
>different design approach that also makes individual pages compatible with
>emerging mobile technologies...."
>
>-  I think we can assume that the major design activities are not individual
>pages, but site-based.  Therefore, taking that approach in the guidelines
>would be in-synch with the audience.  However, would it deter people who
>are creating single-page sites (personal home pages)? How about people who
>just have a part of a site…or a page on a site. Or, is that their "site."
>
>-  It seems that we can abstract out to the site level in the introductions
>for each section (A, B, C), each guideline is page level, while techniques
>are site-level.    Yes?
>
>
>
>
>Your thoughts?
>
>Gregg and Wendy
>
>
>-- ------------------------------
>Gregg C Vanderheiden Ph.D.
>Professor - Human Factors
>Dept of Ind. Engr. - U of Wis.
>Director - Trace R & D Center
>Gv@trace.wisc.edu, http://trace.wisc.edu/
>FAX 608/262-8848
>For a list of our listserves send "lists" to listproc@trace.wisc.edu
>
>
>
>
-------
Leonard R. Kasday
Institute on Disabilities/UAP at Temple University, Philadelphia PA
email:     kasday@acm.org
telephone: (215} 204 2247

Received on Tuesday, 10 November 1998 16:02:43 UTC