Re: Web Accessibility Myths and The Kynn Challenge (was:

Scott Luebking wrote:
> 
> Hi, Mike
> 
> Could you explain why it would be to the benefit of a company
> to support more than one type of browser on its intranet?
> Scott
> 

Lets assume a company provides the necessary support to employee's who
have specific disabilities requiring specialized software support to
access and use the company intranet.

Could someone explain why a company's decision NOT to install and
support multiple browsers on other computers should be the subject for
debate or concern of any outside organization or individual?

The cost to purchase, install, and maintain software that is rarely used
is why companies standardize software by departments, divisions, and
entire organizations. An individual may have become attached to some out
of date word processing software that can't be distributed over an
intranet, but your employer can deny such activities as part of your
employment contract. Such a position is very reasonable to me as a means
of providing the maximum benefit to the entire organization at the
lowest cost. This is not an accessibility issue in my opinion. Why
should the standardization of an operating system or browser software be
any different?

Many companies have specific server software which is the standard
platform for the company except for specific departments that may adopt
an alternative. Macintosh computers have been widely used in K-12 school
and in some colleges. In recent years there has been a switch to Windows
as a default standards. Sometime this switch is due to a decision made
by the purchasing department rather than the classroom teacher.
Supporting districts with a collection of very old to new technology
with DOS, Windows, and Mac operating systems and multiple software
suppliers and versions is a nightmare from hell. 

Claude Sweet

Received on Monday, 25 October 1999 14:56:22 UTC