definition of User Agent

I just noticed the definition of user agent in our guidelines

 

It is 

 

user agent

In this document, the term "user agent" is used in two ways:

1.      The software and documentation components that together, conform
<http://www.w3.org/TR/WAI-USERAGENT/conformance.html#Conformance>  to the
requirements of the User Agent <http://www.w3.org/TR/UAAG10/>  Accessibility
Guidelines 1.0 (UAAG 1.0). This is the most common use of the term in this
document and is the usage in the UAAG checkpoints.

2.      Any software that retrieves and renders Web content for users. This
may include Web browsers, media players, plug-ins, and other programs -
including assistive
<http://www.w3.org/TR/WAI-USERAGENT/glossary.html#def-assistive-technology>
technologies - that help in retrieving and rendering Web content.

Note:  This term was taken verbatim from User Agent
<http://www.w3.org/TR/WAI-USERAGENT/glossary.html>  Accessibility Guidelines
1.0 (UAAG 1.0) Glossary 

 

 

The note states that this was taken verbatim from UAAG.   Actually this is
an adaptation of the definition in UAAG because it would make no sense in
our document as written. 

Here is the definition verbatim from UAAG.

 

User agent

In this document, the term "user agent" is used in two ways: 

1.      The software and documentation components that together, conform
<http://www.w3.org/TR/UAAG10/conformance.html#Conformance>  to the
requirements of this document. This is the most common use of the term in
this document and is the usage in the checkpoints.

2.      Any software that retrieves and renders Web content for users. This
may include Web browsers, media players, plug-ins
<http://www.w3.org/TR/UAAG10/glossary.html#def-plug-in> , and other programs
- including assistive technologies
<http://www.w3.org/TR/UAAG10/glossary.html#def-assistive-technology>  - that
help in retrieving and rendering Web content.

 

 

 

First we should change our note since it isn't accurate.

 

Second I wonder if our adaptation of UAAG definition is accurate for our
guidelines.  Isn't the second definition the one we mean most?  Not the
first?

In fact isn't the second definition the only thing we mean by the term user
agent? 

 

 

 


Gregg

------------------------

Gregg C Vanderheiden Ph.D. 
Professor - Depts of Ind. Engr. & BioMed Engr.
Director - Trace R & D Center 
University of Wisconsin-Madison 
< <http://trace.wisc.edu/> http://trace.wisc.edu/> FAX 608/262-8848  
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