Re: Screen readers - usage stats?

On Thu, 15 Apr 2004, Ian Anderson wrote:

>
> Hi Nick
>
> sorry - long post...

That's OK, I don't think we really have major disagreements.

> > On Wed, 14 Apr 2004, Ian Anderson wrote:
> > > > What compelling reason could there be to have stats of this
> type?  I can
> > > > think of some that have nothing to do with the web but none that
> do.
>
> I think you're attributing those words to me in error.

Only if you're unfamiliar with quoting conventions, which clearly
(to me) show that you were quoting someone else.

> common way to decide which way to jump. I'm not talking about
> excluding anyone, but I *am* talking about quality of user experience.

OK, sounds sensible.

> JAWS isn't popular because it's the most expensive, it's popular
> presumably because it's good and people judge it worth the money.

I couldn't comment on JAWS itself, but I have to disagree profoundly
with the underlying principle there.  In the real world, popularity
of software products has a lot more to do with effective marketing
departments than with quality.

> I presume mod_accessibility is an Apache module, or PHP?

It's a module.  PHP would cripple it, and be (by comparison)
hopelessly slow.

>	 The server
> environment in question cannot use either of these.

That would not be an issue if you deploy it on a proxy.

>	 I am not familiar
> with the properties of this mod, and I'm not sure I agree with the
> idea of tailoring output for different screen readers. It looks like
> you're contradicting yourself against your earlier points. Perhaps you
> can elucidate what you mean here?

The point is precisely that it presents different presentation options
to end-users, so they get the choice.  	t's not tailored to
specific browsers: it puts the emphasis on accessibility and
usability, sometimes at the expense of presentation.  But the key
is user empowerment through choice.

http://apache.webthing.com/mod_accessibility/

-- 
Nick Kew

Nick's manifesto: http://www.htmlhelp.com/~nick/

Received on Friday, 16 April 2004 01:14:20 UTC