Re: A different approach for web page accessibility

In general, server-side scripting is more friendly that client-side
scripting. So-called DHTML (it isn't a particular thing, just the name
given to HTML that has client-sided active elements, included by means of
some script) tends to be pretty browser-specific. Netscape and Explorer,
the two browsers which implement lots of scripting, do a pretty poor job
of compaitibility.

Using asp pages (for those who use Microsoft webservers - the rest of the
world achieves the results with php, CGI interfaces, Cold Fusion, Domino,
etc etc) allows the creation of "pure" HTML, which can be reliably used by
all users. It also, of course, allows the creation of something that
nobody can use - it is only when itis done right that it helps anyone.
(Likewise it is possible to write client-side scripting which transforms
gracefully in browsers which do not interpret scripts.)

Charles

On Sun, 28 Mar 1999, Scott Luebking wrote:

  Hi, Kristine
  
  DHTML uses a combination of scripts and element attributes to create
  certain effects.  As to be expected, Netscape and Microsoft do
  not offer the same features which can be used with DHTML.  However,
  by keeping the DHTML within a sub-set of certain features it is
  possible to have a fair amount of DHTML work with both.  The demo page
  I created works for both MS and Netscape browsers, but has to do things
  a little differently for each browser.
  
  Scott
  
  
  > With regard to DHTML,
  > 
  > I've been doing some work with Microsoft InterDev recently to build a web front end for
  > a database. According to MS documentation, I was under the impression that DHTML is
  > only IE-friendly. That's why I didn't use it--*.asp seemed to be the only alternative.
  > I viewed your page successfully in Netscape 4.05, but I'm curious as to how
  > cross-browser friendly DHTML is. Is DHTML more accessible than asp?
  > 
  > Thanks,
  > Kristine Bradow
  > Wayne State University
  > Detroit, MI 48202
  > (313) 577-1791
  

--Charles McCathieNevile            mailto:charles@w3.org
phone: +1 617 258 0992   http://www.w3.org/People/Charles
W3C Web Accessibility Initiative    http://www.w3.org/WAI
MIT/LCS  -  545 Technology sq., Cambridge MA, 02139,  USA

Received on Monday, 29 March 1999 11:47:15 UTC