- From: Gregg Vanderheiden <po@trace.wisc.edu>
- Date: Mon, 26 Apr 1999 11:14:59 -0500
- To: "GL - WAI Guidelines WG (E-mail)" <w3c-wai-gl@w3.org>
ISSUE - 11 : This deals with item 10.3 which reads. "10.3 Until user agents or assistive technologies render side-by-side text correctly, provide a linear text alternative (on the current page or some other) for all tables that lay out text in parallel, word-wrapped columns." An AC Member felt this checkpoint should be removed. They felt that there may be older versions of screen readers which do not deal with tables today, however they felt that there were accessible solutions even on older computer and operating system platforms. They did not feel that they (the W3C) could demand that web authors make this expensive adaptation to facilitate environments that are accessible. For example all text browsers and at least one graphics browser (Opera) handle tables today. PROPOSED RESOLUTION: The Working Group felt that technologies has indeed progressed recently, and many felt that they "until user agents" clause had been met. Others felt that it was close but that some tools to make older Microsoft and Netscape browsers handle tables were not yet available. It was thought that the Clause was met enough that it was no longer a priority 2 since it was no longer a severe usability problem. One could use any of the browsers that did handle tables with side by side text and be able to read the text. There are also tools that should be out relatively soon that will plug into existing IE and Netscape browsers to allow them to unwrap tables on request from the user. SPECIFIC WORDING: Reflect the fact that this is now true by changing the Priority to 3.
Received on Monday, 26 April 1999 12:15:56 UTC