RE: [#259] Proposal: remove default form text requirements

In the 29 May 2003 teleconference participants on the call agreed to the
following resolutions regarding placeholder text for form controls:

1. It is no longer necessary to provide default text for form controls,
since user agents now support form controls regardless of their placeholder
text. WCAG 2.0 will not have a requirement for this.
2. Since this guideline is no longer relevant and fulfilling it is sometimes
problematic for Web pages that otherwise conform to WCAG 1.0, it is
desirable to remove it from WCAG 1.0. We will therefore issue an erratum to
WCAG 1.0.

I will provide proposed text for the erratum in a separate message so we can
argue about that without confusing that discussion with ratification of the
principle reflected in these decisions. If you object to this resolution,
please indicate the objection on the list before Wednesday, 4 June 2003. If
no objections are raised we will consider this accepted by the list and
close the issue (pending acceptance of the erratum text). 

Michael

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Michael Cooper 
> Sent: Tuesday, May 27, 2003 4:02 PM
> To: WAI GL (E-mail)
> Subject: [B259] Proposal: remove default form text requirements
> 
> 
> 
> Following Roberto's subject line formatting suggestion for now...
> 
> The Techniques subgroup reviewed the requirement under WCAG 
> 1.0 Checkpoint
> 10.4 [1] to provide default placeholder text for form 
> controls. This is an
> "until user agents" one and the belief of the group is that 
> it has expired -
> user agents for which this guideline was developed are no 
> longer in common
> use. Conformance to this guideline also introduces design and 
> technical
> problems. Therefore we propose that there be no technique 
> (and therefore no
> Guideline) under WCAG 2.0 that requires default form text. 
> This issue is
> sufficiently problematic for Web sites seeking WCAG 1.0 
> conformance that we
> also suggest that the group add an entry to the Errata for 
> WCAG 1.0 [2]
> indicating that Checkpoint 10.4 is no longer relevant.
> 
> Please indicate your vote on this.
> 
> Michael
> 
> [1] http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG10/#tech-place-holders
> [2] http://www.w3.org/WAI/GL/WAI-WEBCONTENT-ERRATA
> 
> Michael Cooper
> Accessibility Project Manager
> Watchfire
> 1 Hines Rd
> Kanata, ON  K2K 3C7
> Canada
> +1 613 599 3888 x4019
> http://bobby.watchfire.com/
>

Received on Friday, 30 May 2003 10:49:38 UTC