RE: Browser Sniffing

it does come into play also if the site wants you to switch to a shudder
inaccessable browser.


On Wed, 1 Apr 1998, Jon Gunderson wrote:

> 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
> 

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Received on Wednesday, 1 April 1998 10:13:41 UTC