- From: William Loughborough <love26@gorge.net>
- Date: Thu, 10 May 2001 11:37:07 -0700
- To: "Matt May" <mcmay@bestkungfu.com>, <ryladog@earthlink.net>, "3WC WCAG" <w3c-wai-gl@w3.org>, "Anne Pemberton" <apembert@erols.com>
At 09:52 AM 5/10/01 -0700, Matt May wrote:
>text without illustration is superior to illustration without text for
>information density. The exceptions are where the message itself is purely
>visual in nature
I think the point is that this is more complex than such a measure as
"information density" might imply.
For some people, or the average person, or the preponderance of persons,
etc. isn't what we're about. There are people who can't/won't access a page
of text without illustrations - no matter what its information density.
That's the point.
MM:: "We are almost universally trained from birth to communicate
near-exclusively by verbal or textual means."
WL: If "we" means "you and me" who are reading this, of course that's true,
but the point is that some people aren't so trained or the usual means of
training don't/can't work. There is a huge body of people for whom what you
say is right on, but the number who cannot be reached with unadulterated
text, but who otherwise are acceptable in society is significant and it is
our job to do what we can to accommodate them.
MM:: "...generating more heat than light."
WL: Maybe so, but I got lit up. I now believe that we're on the second
floor of a building without elevator and arguing over whether the fact that
there are no people up here with wheel chairs proves that we don't really
need an elevator. I could be wrong and perhaps Mrs. P. is being "overly
combative" but I just don't think so.
Besides which the pages look better <g>!
--
Love.
ACCESSIBILITY IS RIGHT - NOT PRIVILEGE
Received on Thursday, 10 May 2001 14:35:42 UTC