RE: Browser Sniffing

JRG in response to Joe Roeder:
Some sepcialized technologies for people with disabilities are being denied
access.  Not all the denials are for security reasons, some people want to
force users to use a particular browser so that you see there WWW pages as
the author intended.  It may also be a marketing strategy being used by
server/browser developers to promote there products over competing
products.  The one scenario that has been presented is banks requiring a
specific browser to do bank transactions, so if you are using lynx you are
out of luck.  This scenario is probably based on security.  
Jon


At 06:58 PM 3/31/98 -0500, you wrote:
>Concerning browser sniffing, if the servers are just making sure the
>browser can handle secure transactions and the browsers supported are
>following the guidelines for accessability, then, strictly speaking,
>there is not a barrier to access by a person with disability.  It might
>be inconvenient if the user has to switch because their browser does not
>support secure transactions, but that would also be the case for a non
>disabled user.
>
>Unless I am missing something here, browser sniffing, per se, is not an
>barrier to access by a person with disability.   Restricting access for
>reasons of security is outside the scope of the WAI.  We want to ensure
>access through good web page design, good browser design and good access
>technology.  If all that is done, then we have met our objective.
>
>
>Joe Roeder
>Access Technology Specialist
>National Industries for the Blind
>E-mail:  jroeder@nib.org
>Voice:  (703) 578-6524
>FAX: 	(703) 998-4217
>	Restricting access for reasons of security is outside the scope
>of the WAI, so I don't see the need for a specific stand hon this issue.
>
>
Jon Gunderson, Ph.D., ATP
Coordinator of Assistive Communication and Information Technology
Division of Rehabilitation - Education Services
University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign
1207 S. Oak Street
Champaign, IL 61820

Voice: 217-244-5870
Fax: 217-333-0248
E-mail: jongund@uiuc.edu
WWW:	http://www.staff.uiuc.edu/~jongund
	http://www.als.uiuc.edu/InfoTechAccess

Received on Wednesday, 1 April 1998 10:04:57 UTC