RE: Clear communication: (was RE: Re: Accessibility of "CHM" format resources)

Hi John

Thanks for clarifying that. I think it does reinforce the need for clear language. 

I hope Governments and well meaning voluntary sector bodies do rethink their current drive to adopt the Accessibility Guidelines as standards. They need the flexibility to grow and mature over time and not become immovable in bureaucracy.

Cheers

Stuart 

-----Original Message-----
From: John Foliot - WATS.ca [mailto:foliot@wats.ca] 
Sent: 07 June 2005 17:22
To: Stuart.M.Smith@manchester.ac.uk; w3c-wai-ig@w3.org
Subject: RE: Clear communication: (was RE: Re: Accessibility of "CHM" format resources)

Stuart Smith wrote:

> I need to clarify something here please?
>
> When you say
> "Many on this list also believe that a more-or-less strict adherence 
> to published standards"
>
> Just after talking about one of the WCAG Priority's you are not 
> including them as a standard? As they are published as Guidelines 
> surely?

Correct, WCAG is a Guidelines document, where-as the proper usage of CSS, HTML, etc. is governed by Standards.

>
> I maybe a newbie to the group but I am very concerned about the 
> growing reinterpretation of the Guidelines as Standards.

...and this is a very real phenomenon due in part to governments mandating the guidelines as such.  I share your concern.

> There are lots of standards out there, which are very important and 
> useful and the Accessibility Guidelines are important too. But they 
> are just guidelines surely? If they are now being mooted as standard 
> then they need a greater robustness and adaptability.

Yes you caught me... Again, see the importance of clear language?

Cheers!

JF
--
John Foliot  foliot@wats.ca
Web Accessibility Specialist / Co-founder of WATS.ca Web Accessibility Testing and Services http://www.wats.ca
Phone: 1-613-482-7053

Received on Wednesday, 8 June 2005 08:59:59 UTC