PRI - 11 Column Wrapped Text

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