Re: NOW: appropriate hypertext

At 11:46 AM -0500 7/19/00, tom mcCain wrote:
>  >	The real problem with "click" is it represents a failure
>  >	to think about appropriate hypertext...
>I think it is possible to use appropriate hypertext and still use the word
>"click" in that hypertext.

I agree.  I also believe that the use of "click" may represent an
accessibility _feature_ for certain groups of people in terms of
usability, such as new users and/or people with cognitive
disabilities.  "Click here for <X>" is likely to help people access
information.

And I believe that any person unable to literally "click" will be able
to understand that "click" means "follow this link" -- and so there
_is_ no accessibility problem.  I maintain that no person has ever
been denied access to information because of the presence of the word
"click."

Note that this is different from "unclear link text", such as
using "click here" for EVERY link text; if the link text were the
more inclusive phrase "follow this link" but it was still used for
every link, it would be just as bad.  The concentration on "click"
as a "bad thing" really obscures the issue.

Accessibility needs to be about "what prevents access", not "what
word -- which is NOT misunderstood -- makes people feel warm and
fuzzy."
-- 
--
Kynn Bartlett <kynn@idyllmtn.com>
http://www.kynn.com/

Received on Wednesday, 19 July 2000 13:03:04 UTC