Re: The visual Web vs. seamless accessibility (was Re: RIT - Javascript)

At 07:01 PM 04/05/98 -0600, Kathy Seven Williams wrote:
>At 08:41 PM 5/4/98 -0400, Liam Quinn wrote:
>>At 06:24 PM 04/05/98 -0600, Kathy Seven Williams wrote:
>>>I hate being forced to go to a text only version of a web site just so I
>>>can avoid Java buttons and be able to navigate.
>>
>>LQ::  You shouldn't have to.  With seamless accessibility, all you do is
>>disable Java and you're left with a usable alternative (as the content of
>>the APPLET element).

KSW::
>	If I disable JAVA in some places I must be I am then told to go away and
>get a browser that is JAVA capable.

LQ:: Hopefully the EO group will be able to set these authors straight.

>>LQ::  With seamless accessibility, the ALT attribute provides a replacement
>>for the image, not a description of it.  The TITLE attribute gives a title
>>for the image, typically in the form of a short description.

KSW::
>	Are you capitalizing seamless accessibility?

LQ:: No, but I'm thinking of trademarking it <grin>.

KSW::
>I'm not sure what this term
>is meant to mean.

LQ:: I use the term to differentiate it from the kind of accessibility many
others advocate, which is to describe what a Web page looks like visually.
Seamless accessibility means that a Web page appears to be designed
specifically for the user's browsing environment, whatever that environment
is.

KSW::
>I encounter ALT tags that say everything from IMAGE
>(that's informative) to "snowflakes". what I am saying is I'd rather it say
>snowflakes or family portrait rather than "picture" some do, some don't.

LQ:: I'd rather have the ALT attribute give a replacement for the image.
If the image is pure decoration, then there is no need for anything to
replace it.

KSW::
>I
>want to know if there are snowflakes even if i am supposedly just listening
>because I have been put into listening mode unwillingly.

LQ:: Use of the TITLE attribute (for example, TITLE="Wilson Bentley
Snowflake") allows this.  Browsers should allow the user to toggle among
three modes:  1) load all images; 2) don't load images but show the
presence of images with ALT text displayed and TITLE available on request;
3) replace images seamlessly with ALT text.  The second option is the
user's way of requesting "seams".

-- 
Liam Quinn
Web Design Group            Enhanced Designs, Web Site Development
http://www.htmlhelp.com/    http://enhanced-designs.com/

Received on Monday, 4 May 1998 21:29:08 UTC