Re: Success criteria 1.4.4

As someone who is relatively new to these discussions, I must say I am already amazed at how often our exchanges degrade into, metaphorically speaking, circling the wagons and shooting inward.

If you need that very American metaphor explained, please contact me off list. (I don't mean to be insensitive; I just fear that explaining it would bore everyone without helping anyone.)

Like settlers moving into an uncharted wilderness, we are weak as individuals but, if we watch out for one another, strong as a group.

In this case, Thierry said:
> Imho, the main problem with "zoom" is that it forces users to scroll
> (horizontally) which makes content very difficult to read.

And Felix responded:


<snip>
>1-You think forcing them to squint, lean too close to the screen, hunt for a magnifying glass or other
>ways to cope with reduced contrast and/or sub-default text is somehow less of a problem?

>Better to not design offensively so as to not induce need to apply defensive measures.
</snip>
<snip>
> 2-Just how often do you think appearance of a horizontal scrollbar actually occurs since widescreen
>displays all but eliminated 4:3 displays from the marketplace years ago?
</snip>
<snip>
>3-Have you actually tried zooming lately to see what actually happens when zoom is used in a modern
>browser version?
</snip>

Felix, I hate to single you out, because this is just the most recent instance of a behavior I've seen far too frequently. But when read in the neutral ground that is online discussion, each of these questions comes across as an attack.

Thierry made a simple statement—that zooming leads to problems with horizontal scrolling—and he got a barrage in response. Rather than simply add information to the discussion, your questions imply that Thierry doesn't know much. And in lashing out, you seem to have closed your mind to the possibility that not everyone else experiences the Web in ways that are familiar to you.

For just one example, let me address your second question. Right now, I'm working on my laptop. Yes, I have a widescreen display. But sometimes I take advantage of that wide screen by having two windows open side by side. I'm comparing A to B, or I'm viewing a Web page while having a conversation in IRC or on Skype. So instead of an 8:5 display, I effectively have a 4:5 display in each window. And, yes, when I work like that, I have to do horizontal scrolling on many Web pages.

Can we please stop doing this on this list? I'd really like for it to be a place where we can help one another become better ambassadors for accessibility. I'd like to be able to trust that when someone—anyone; newbie or veteran, it doesn't matter—makes a comment that they will receive considerate, respectful responses.

If we have axes to grind, let's set up our own blogs and grind them there. We can call attention to our blog posts from this list: "I don't think people understand the problems with forcing the user to zoom or the advantages to the user of being able to zoom. <link> What do you think?"

But please, let's stop attacking one another.

It doesn't help us become a community with a common goal. It doesn't help us reach that goal. And it doesn't inspire others to work with us toward that goal.

Cliff