Web Sites

The difficulties in getting all your software (or even just the software
that generates inaccessible HTML code) made accessible are obviously
massive and the efforts Bill Gates is instituting are certainly heading
the effort in the right direction, despite the reluctance to address the
major issue of ALT="text" in the authoring tools.

There is one issue on which I should think there would be little or no
disagreement: Microsoft's own web sites.  

Of course, the retrofitting of all the "legacy" sites is being addressed
but it will take a lot of time and may not be worth it, HOWEVER, there
is absolutely no excuse (or even any logical reason) that would justify
publishing any more web sites that do not conform to the guidelines that
we have all (including MS reps within WAI) agreed on.  

I don't expect the browser to get "right" all that soon but the web
sites that are published by people under the control of MS's management
can be controlled and required to publish no more sites in violation of
the guidelines.  

How long will it take to decide for a cut-off date?  Will all new
Microsoft web sites be compliant by the end of the year?  Or will it be
past the end of the millenium?  It really shouldn't be beyond the end of
the month!

What a great kickoff for WAI to be able to announce that by the 4th of
July no new inaccessible sites will be posted by MicroSoft - or any
Consortium companies!
-- 
Love.
            ACCESSIBILITY IS RIGHT - NOT PRIVILEGE
http://dicomp.pair.com

Received on Tuesday, 2 June 1998 15:28:54 UTC