Re: Definition of "baseline"

Andi Snow-Weaver writes:
 > 
 > the minimum set of technologies that must be supported by user agents in
 > order to access all information and functionality of the Web content.
 > Developers must ensure that all Web content and functionality conforms to

"Developers must ensure that all functionality of the Web content
conforms" would be better.
 > WCAG 2.0 assuming user agents support only this minimum set of
 > technologies. Developers may also choose to use technologies that are not
 > in the minimum set provided that the following are true:
 > - the Web content is still operable using user agents only support the
 > technologies that are in the minimum set (i.e. the use of technologies that
 > are not in the minimum set does not "break" the  Web site for user agents

This should be "the content for user agents"

 > that don't support them.).
 > - all content and functionality must be available using only the baseline

This should be "all of the information and functionality in the content"
 > technologies.
 > 
 > With regard to your proposed definition of technology
 > 
 > "Technology" means a data format, programming or markup language,
 > protocol or API.
 > 
 > can you please explain the difference between a "programming language" and
 > an "API"?

A programming language is a language in which code is written. Content
can include scripts, and these will only be executed by a user agent
if it supports the programming language in which the script is
written. The script is interpreted rather than compiled code.

An API is a set of interfaces - typically class and function
definitions - provided by a user agent. The DOM is an example of an
API. The same API can be accessed by code written in different
programming languages. Thus, Web content that includes interpreted
code requires that the user agent support both the programming
language and the API's that are used in the script. If the API is
supported but not the programming langauge, the script can't be
interpreted and executed. If the programming language is supported by
not the API, the script can't be run.

Received on Saturday, 9 April 2005 00:37:08 UTC