RE: Fresh start? Re: Minimal Browser Capabilities

As no one aparently considers that the knowledge level of the user is of
importance ( at least judging on the overwealming response <grin>) ...or
maybe just arent interested in the users :(  I will throw in my comments on
another part of Charles's post regarding Javascript below indicated by HW:

-----Original Message-----
From: w3c-wai-ig-request@w3.org [mailto:w3c-wai-ig-request@w3.org]On
Behalf Of Charles McCathieNevile
Sent: Thursday, 27 December 2001 10:08 AM
To: Tina Marie Holmboe
Cc: w3c-wai-ig@w3.org
Subject: Fresh start? Re: Minimal Browser Capabilities


When this thread started it was about what are the minimum capabilities we
can expect users to have (through their browsers). Very little data has come
out of it, so I am going to break this question into several smaller
questions, and see if we can get more signal.

What "should" users be able to deal with? I will leave this for now.

What can users deal with? This is a critical question for WCAG - if we
believe that users can deal with Javascript, then it is no longer a
disability issue but rather a device independence or philosophy issue. If we
do not believe so, then we need to work on how to make javascript accessible
but also how to make things accessible without javascript.

HW:
My view, which is based on the principle that if it is resonably possible
for the user to obtain suitable software they are not being discriminated
against if they chose not to do so, is that the use of javascript is
reasonable on a site but should definitely NOT be the only or even the most
obvious means of navigation.  In cases such as the use of it to control
advertising etc I cannot see that the user is put in a worse position than
any other user of the site providing other rules are maintained...ie no
changing focus without advising the user, preserving the "back button" etc.

As far as the use of Javascript for form validation I feel it should be
permitted.  This does not prevent a user with any disability I know of using
the site more than anyone else unless of course he/she decides to turn
scripting off.  I feel validation is reasonable however all sites should
provide a contact and be prepared to accept orders in other forms if needed.

I know there will be controversy about this but surely that is the purpose
of this discussion, to get a wide variety of views.

My focus is a user based one,  not just focussing on specific points of the
technology. What counts is whether it is possible to use the site, not
wheter I can use the site in the way I want to do so.

Harry Woodrow




charles

Received on Friday, 28 December 2001 02:00:28 UTC