Re: Using Frames - what problems do screen readers have?

> I would of thought a person would have to know how to
> code or at least know enough to be able to go in and
> add accesskeys, tabindex ect or am I missing out on a
> piece of software that can do this for me, at the
> moment the only software I have for this is me and Im
> getting a bit ragged round the edges :-)

There is a tendency on this list (always has been) to assume too much
knowledge upon the great unwashed. This is not a dig at any individual just
an observation from a humble salesman who has had to sell web design to
company executives (term used loosely). I am moving to a Greek island next
spring (not spending another cold and damp winter in the UK, my bones are
even more frayed!!) and their understanding of what is required on the
internet is 5 years behind the UK. A couple of weeks back I was seated in a
Taverna listening to a very smart Greek girl openly flirting whilst selling
web design to a friend of mine who has a hotel in Kefalonia. The claims and
offers she made were the same misconceptions and errors I made years ago in
the .com boom days. Shame on me, sack cloth and ashes. I am a sinner.

Back here in the UK I am still staggered at the number of small company
directors whose next door neighbour has a very talented 16 year old "wot
does websites".
In these not so certain times there is a rapidly growing number of people
who armed with their CD rom copy of "everything you need to know about
building websites" wrenched off the front of the latest .net magazine are
setting themselves up as web builders (design not an option, templates
provided) and why not?? that's how I started!!! However I hope I have moved
on, yet it is these bits of software that provide an impressive and cost
effective solution to the unintiated. How many of us have sat in offices
looking at someone's index page downloading, and on seeing the first bit of
a frame declared with a knowledgeable air.."ah!! frames and frontpage, the
problem you have with frames is............."

Question. Was it the way you saw the page download or the template you
recognised!!!!? Fact is, you do not need to know one bit of HTML to build a
site. I trashed 3 computers trying to learn the damn stuff, and still
learning....err...don't trash 'em they are expensive to replace.

In my opinion, one of the main purposes of this group.....is to get a
message across. Collectively and worldwide budding .com millionaires build
more web pages than this group ever can, what is worse they have never heard
of accessibility, W3C, or perish the thought, this group. That is not their
fault,... it is ours. Every time you point the accusing finger, there are
three more pointing back at yourself. It is this group that shares and
suggests potential solutions to problems plus individual experiences. Within
the list we preach to the converted but it is a safe environment where us
birds can flock and endorse our own theories and beliefs, whilst impressing
our peers with a clever bit of coding and dare I say it ......a little self
promotion??!! Everyday I spend on this list my learning curve get steeper
and long may that be so.

But the fact remains, more pages are uploaded to the web by people who do
not know HTML than the other way round.

Long post, but go on smile at someone and make their day!

Received on Tuesday, 18 November 2003 05:44:45 UTC