RE: About ABBR

At 9:36 AM 2/18/2000, Ann Navarro wrote:

> Sites can be single-A compliant without even trying if they use valid HTML
and even marginal design sense.

Ann, I respectfully disagree.

I think Web site owners *should* devote whatever resources and money are
necessary to make their sites accessible. But it is simplistic to say that
sites can be Single-A compliant just by using valid HTML and "even marginal
design sense." There are all sorts of goals to consider when designing a
site, and accessibililty is just one of them. Other goals include making
money, appealing to diverse audiences, being visually appealing, and fitting
in with a corporate image. Web developers are not magicians - they have to
work hard to balance the design requirements of those various goals.

Dick Brown
Program Manager, Web Accessibility
Microsoft Corp.

 -----Original Message-----
From: 	Ann Navarro [mailto:ann@webgeek.com] 
Sent:	Friday, February 18, 2000 9:36 AM
To:	lake@netscape.com
Cc:	thatch@us.ibm.com; Gregory J. Rosmaita; pjenkins@us.ibm.com; WAI
Interest Group Emailing List
Subject:	Re: About ABBR

At 09:22 AM 2/18/00 -0800, Lakespur Roca wrote:
>Your Metaphore is off a bit. What you are actually asking these "builders" 
>to do
>is build for Florida weather and make it earthquake safe. California 
>builders know
>about Earthquake regulations, new materials and techniques for this but
Florida
>builders are not expected to have that expertese.

I disagree. 

Accessible design is not different, nor difficult. Sites can be single-A
compliant without even trying if they use valid HTML and even marginal
design sense. 

If it's *costing money* to do that, then we should be looking at the skills
of those hired, not at whether or not one should design accessibly. 

Ann
---
Just Released! - HTML BY Example
Now shipping -  Mastering XML 
Also in print:  Effective Web Design: Master the Essentials

Founder, WebGeek Communications            http://www.webgeek.com
Vice President-Finance, HTML Writers Guild http://www.hwg.org
Director, HWG Online Education
http://www.hwg.org/services/classes

Received on Friday, 18 February 2000 13:00:44 UTC