A question on Authoring Tools/Leah Fretwell

Hold the bus a mo Leah,

Whilst I must confess to a slight guffaw at your posting, and it is in part 
true. I think you are being a bit hard on many individuals that make up the 
list.

 From time to time the better funded college and government web designers 
do tend to forget that the majority of web design work is done in a highly 
competitive commercial environment. No time or cash for R&D, and trips to 
conventions. So any help and advice from government funded operations is 
much appreciated. However taking the attitude of sending the page details 
and getting it coded for you, may be handy but not constructive.

I have followed this list's postings with interest for some time now and 
found if you ask a direct request for help it is generally offered. If 
there is a short fall, it is all to often the common perception is that the 
Internet stretches from east to west coasts and the other unimportant bit 
called Acidrainia, formally known as the world. I do however believe that 
plaudits and pats on the back are better served by private e-mail and not 
posted in the discussion group, and I do also question some motives for 
being on the list, as a covert way of getting work, rather than furthering 
accessibility. But then I assume that one will beget the other.

I have noted in an attempt to appear to belong (I suspect) even U.K. 
designers refer to the ADA in some postings and not the UK version, the DDA 
. Which if inspected could have more teeth to bite with, because here in 
the U.K. we do not have as many handcuffs in the form of amendments to a 
constitution. We just lack the movers and shakers that live on the western 
edges of the pond.

It is because we have legislation already in place that can be applied to 
the Internet that I believe global accessibility issues would be better 
served if a second front was opened here. The sooner the better, as up 
until now our movers and shakers are still it seems trapped in a wet paper bag.

Any offers of support?

Paul Davis

Received on Friday, 30 June 2000 06:14:52 UTC