- From: Jesper Tverskov <jesper.tverskov@mail.tele.dk>
- Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2004 10:27:44 +0200
- To: <w3c-wai-ig@w3.org>, "'Michael Cooper'" <michaelc@watchfire.com>, "'Wendy Chisholm'" <wendy@w3.org>
Proposed definition for data tables: "Data tables are those tables in HTML that do or should have row and/or column headings (TH's), do or should have captions, and do or should have other markup, such as summary, scope, and other attributes and elements associated with tabular data." The above definition of data tables shows us the main problem: Most data tables do not use headers or captions, etc. because the tables are too simple and easy to understand for ordinary users without them. Using headers, etc., are often overkill if all you have are two columns with names and addresses. So the "should have" is not right in the above definition. A table is a data table if there are headers, etc., or if the table could have had headers, etc. The best approach is then to say: If a data table is so simple that proper headers, etc. are not present but could have been used, the data table should at least use the summary attribute in order to be recognized as a data table. Best regards, Jesper Tverskov www.smackthemouse.com
Received on Friday, 27 August 2004 08:27:41 UTC