Re: Javascript

From: Scarlett Julian (ED)
Subject: RE: Javascript

> I generally use my browser (currently Opera 7.1) with javascript disabled
so if I visited
> a site with menus that you're talking about I'd be stuck. Unless of course
you provided
> text-only equivalent links but then what's the point - may as well make
the first set
> accessible in the first place. (IMO)

The point is that dynamic dropdown menus (DHTML) improve the look and feel
of a website site, allowing you to have more navigational scope without
overpowering the visitor with options.

The moment you say "you might as well just have text-only links" is the same
moment when web designers see accessibility as nothing more than text-only
websites - you are only advocating the myth some of us are working hard to
dispell. Recall that accessibility is about providing _alternatives_ to
non-textual or dynamic content where practical - not _replacing_ them with
text-only non-dynamic components.

Naturally in the case of DHTML menus, there is a graceful fallback in the
noscript element, so a DHTML menu can be accessible by providing an
alternative.

Mike.

Received on Thursday, 1 May 2003 08:05:32 UTC