RE: Scripting (was RE: Accessible road maps)

Real world example.  I will admit that depending on how you interpret
'solve' here there is still room to disagree.

We need to present a tree navigation whose data source nets out to ~70mg
of data ( xml ).  Obviously one could not simple send the data set to
the client for xsl :).  The data is factored out server side, loading to
the client only the data needed to represent the current location in the
tree.  So far no need for client side script.

Since it is necessary to get more data for any tree node expansion we
had two choices: navigate the entire page for every ( nearly ) tree
navigation, or use client side code to retrieve only the new data and
update the page.

Since page load can be quite expensive for average connections (
~5sec-ish ) this would make traversing the document set slow and
difficult.  Client side scripting provides an enormous benefit to all
users here.

Ofcourse if the functionallity broke when scripting was turned off that
would be a violation of guidelines.  So it degrades to the 'nav on
click' model if scripting isn't available.


Is it strictly needed, depends.  Would I back banning script, no.  Not
just for cases like these but for any use that the author deems relevant
-- as long as there is a gracefull decline ( no script only
functionallity ).

.02
/m 

-----Original Message-----
From: w3c-wai-ig-request@w3.org [mailto:w3c-wai-ig-request@w3.org] On
Behalf Of Steven Dale
Sent: Wednesday, June 02, 2004 12:56 PM
To: w3c-wai-ig@w3.org
Subject: Re: Scripting (was RE: Accessible road maps)


Hmmmmm,  I hear much whining and emotional reasons for WANTING client
side scripting.  My original question was and still is: Do we NEED
client side scripting?  Is there just one example of using client side
scripting to solve a problem which cannot be solved in an alternative
manner and does the use of the script not cause any accessibility issues
accross the board of all Web Accessibility issues?

I am not saying that client side scripting should be banned, but, should
be treated as an optional enhancement to the webpage.  This should only
be used to enhance the end user's experience PROVIDED that the
capability exists on the end user's system and the end user's ability.
I think it is obvious from the responses in this thread that even the
accessibility experts here want to code freely with scripts.  Now, if
the accessibility experts want this, imagine what web page hackers will
do....  We need to DISCOURAGE MANDATORY use of scripts by the end user
viewing a webpage.

Again, I have yet to receive one example of client side scripts solving
a problem that cannot be solved alternatively and is fully accessible.

-Steve

Received on Wednesday, 2 June 2004 17:44:25 UTC