Re: Baseline description -- HERE IS WHAT I AM SENDING LATER THIS AM. LET ME KNOW IF YOU SEE ANY PROBLEMS WITH IT

We had talked earlier about creating metadata/framework to provide 
consistency and uniformity in describing  /managing baselines (re: point 8 
following), in advance of actually creating some sample baselines.   Is 
that idea still on the table?

Thanks and best wishes

Tim Boland NIST


Tim Boland NISTAt 03:41 PM 9/6/2006 -0500, you wrote:
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>We have been working on a better short description of the baseline 
>concept.  Here is a version to comment on.
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>Easier to understand?    Harder to misunderstand?
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>Thanks
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>Gregg
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>Baseline basics
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>One sentence version:
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>A Baseline is an established list of technologies (HTML, CSS, etc.) that 
>are accessible and that an author can choose from when creating accessible 
>Web content.
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>Elevator version (also to be used in Introduction):
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>Baseline is a new concept introduced in WCAG 2.0.  A baseline is a list of 
>Web technologies (HTML, CSS, etc.) that are supported in most user agents 
>(browsers, assistive technologies, etc.) in a way that meets the needs of 
>people with disabilities. Baselines should only be created by those who 
>understand accessibility and Assistive Technology support.  Others should 
>use established, recognized baselines.     One way to think about 
>baselines is:  An established list of technologies (HTML, CSS, etc.) that 
>are accessible and that an author can choose from when creating accessible 
>Web content (because it has been determined that there is sufficient 
>accessibility support for them).
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>(PS the elevator version is something so short you can say it on an 
>elevator ride to give someone a rough idea of what you are talking about)
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>Further notes on baselines
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>1.                             Baselines is an important new concept to 
>allow WCAG 2.0 that allow it to remain relevant over time and adapt as new 
>technologies come out and are supported by AT.
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>2.                             A baseline is a list of Web technologies 
>(e.g. HTML, CSS, PDF etc.)
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>·           NOTE: a baseline is NEVER a list of user agents or AT (i.e. a 
>baseline NEVER includes things like IE or Firefox or Jaws or Home Page Reader)
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>3.                             To conform to WCAG, a Web Unit (e.g. Web 
>Page) must
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>·           1) conform to WCAG when all non-baseline technologies used in 
>the Web Unit are turned off in the browser; and also
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>·           2) conform to WCAG when they are turned on in the browser 
>(i.e. the technologies not in the baseline should not interfere with use 
>of the accessibility of the (full) content that is implemented with 
>baseline technologies).
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>·         FOR EXAMPLE:   If Flash is not in the baseline then the Web 
>Content must conform when Flash is turned off and also when FLASH is 
>turned on.   (the Flash content does not have to be accessible in either 
>condition but the accessible alternatives must be able to be accessed in 
>both conditions).
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>4.                             Baselines should only be created by those 
>who understand accessibility and Assistive Technology support.  Others 
>should use established baselines.
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>5.                             Baselines should be specified by the same 
>entity that required conformance to WCAG.  If the author is required to 
>conform to WCAG by a customer or government agency, then that same agency 
>would specify the baseline to be used.
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>6.                             Baselines should be chosen to represent the 
>technologies that are currently supported on a widespread basis by the 
>user agents and especially Assistive Technologies.
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>7.                             Baselines will evolve over time as new 
>technologies are supported by user agents and AT.  The Baselines will 
>evolve in ways that maintain access and increase user and author options 
>and flexibility over time.  They will also be backward compatible as a 
>result so changing baselines would not require old content to be reworked. 
>It would only provide new options for new content.
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>8.                             WAI will be creating guidelines for 
>creating baselines - as well as creating sample Baselines for 2007.
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