OT (slightly): Salt Lake '02 Webmaster: Inaccessible site

I took a look at the Olympic Site when the thread first came up and 
forwarded my observations to the webmaster.  Generally speaking, they were 
much the same as the criticisms raised by the rest of the list participants.

Here's the response I got today ... I thought you might be interested. 
(P.S.  I wonder what the ol' "fog index" reading would be on this one.)


>What can I say, I really think the majority of our users are very
>satisfied. We recently identified many opportunities to make the site more
>accessible, but to be honest, a lot of the improvements in web technology
>in the last 10 years are due to things that seem to not conform with W3C
>accessibility guidelines. We try to keep the page weight down, alas it's
>heavier than it "needs" to be, but we'd start sacrificing a certain amount
>of content should we lighten if too much. Had i to do the site again, i'd
>probably not use frames, but a js include for the masthead, but some people
>have problems with that too. In the end I think it's important to recognize
>what you're saying has merit. In that spirit, i'd like to suggest you check
>out this site: http://www.susx.ac.uk/spru/, representing the furtherment of
>study into applied technology, advance understanding of the relationship
>between STI developments and society through pioneering multidisciplinary
>research, to generate new empirical data, methods, concepts and theories
>which explain the role of STI in the economies of the world, to deliver
>postgraduate training which provides the analytical and practical skills
>needed to understand and respond to the STI challenges of the future, to
>advise those concerned with the development and implementation of science
>and technology policy and those seeking to manage science and technology in
>society and to work with firms, policy-makers and civil society to develop
>the tools and techniques needed to manage STI for purposes of
>competitiveness, sustainable development and social well-being.
>
>Sincerely, Ed
>
>
>Ed Mitchell   /  Senior Graphic Designer  / 2002 Olympic Winter Games
>
>801.212.2146 office  /  801.215.2146 cell  / 801.212.2442 fax
>
>Salt Lake Olympic Committee
>Suite 1100
>299 South Main Street
>Salt Lake City, Utah  84111

----------------------------------------------
Debi Orton/oradnio@albany.net
"The best way to keep something bad from happening is to see it ahead of 
time...and you can't see it if you refuse to face the possibility." -- 
William S. Burroughs

Received on Monday, 29 October 2001 23:11:37 UTC