The fourth element?

 From the UIML 2.0 specification at 
http://uiml.org/specs/docs/uiml20-990801.html : "The interface element 
contains four subelements: structure, style, content, and action-list:"

One problem we've (possibly) imposed on ourselves is the neglect of the 
fourth of those: "actions".

We deal extensively with the first three and try to differentiate among 
them but because the last one is so central to Web function ("it's not just 
documents/pages/sites"), it has to be specifically attended to.

Since we're into proposals: we should examine the advisability of 
structuring WCAG 2.0 around how those 4 elements are dealt with.

Gregg said earlier that for true "generalization" we needed to distance 
ourselves not just from HTML (or any specific technology/language) but from 
even more fundamental notions.

A few fundamental "actions" are: filling in a form; 
replying/commenting/suggesting/authoring within a Web environment; 
navigating/surfing/buying/selling/asking/telling; controlling 
content/presentation/structure(?); up-/down-loading; entering/leaving. In 
general all sorts of possible interactions.

We can no longer think of this as a one-way medium. The "user" is too 
narrow a view if it is taken to be a passive receptacle for "Web content". 
Just by logging onto the network the "user" has become an active 
participant, worthy of being considered an "author". There is a very 
widespread attitude that the "client" and "server" are separate realities 
but this is becoming increasingly less true. There are services that enable 
you to donate CPU cycles, hard drive space, etc. to the network.

Accessibility issues must address all this stuff, not just look at it as a 
top-down "broadcast medium" - even though that is what it's surface still 
appears to be.

It will get more like email is now, only better linked.

Geezerhood has its privileges and "rambles" are permitted.


--
Love.
                 ACCESSIBILITY IS RIGHT - NOT PRIVILEGE

Received on Tuesday, 28 November 2000 16:02:42 UTC