Integrating services like Bobby into your browser

One of the problems with using accessibility services such as Bobby (or
similar web-based HTML validators) is the hassle of having to enter Bobby's
URL, or go to your bookmark, having first copied the page you want to check,
and then paste it into the URL box.

Something we've been looking at recently is integrating web-based services
more closely with web browsers.  This can be done in Netscape by dragging
links to Netscape's personal tool bar.  Rather than just add a static link,
you can add a link to the underlying CGI script, and tell the script to
process the current document.  So that when you're viewing a page, you can
click on the link in the toolbar and a new window will be created with the
output from the Bobby analysis.

Examples are given at the URL:
<http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/web-focus/accessibility/bobby/interface.html>

There are a number of issues to be considered for this type of interface.
The main one is probably change control, if the underlying CGI program
changes.  Also there needs to be comprehensive documentation on the
allowable options.

I'd be interested in comments on this suggestion.

Would it be useful for CAST to host a page from which the links could be
copied?

Thanks

Brian Kelly

PS This example works for Netscape.  I'm not sure if something similar can
be done for Internet Explorer.
------------------------------------------------------
Brian Kelly, UK Web Focus
UKOLN, University of Bath, BATH, England, BA2 7AY
Email:  b.kelly@ukoln.ac.uk     URL:    http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/
Homepage: http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/ukoln/staff/b.kelly.html
Phone:  01225 323943            FAX:   01225 826838

Received on Thursday, 21 January 1999 11:36:36 UTC