30 October releaes of WAI User Agent Guidelines/Techniques

Hello,

We've published a new version of the Guidelines and Techniques
documents at [1] and [2]. They are also available from the Group
page [3].

Note that there are some major structural changes in these
documents, and the editors tried to take into account many
of the suggestions from the face-to-face meeting, but
we haven't had a chance to integrate the latest comments.

--
Changes since the last versions:

1) Major structural changes to both the guidelines and
   techniques documents. In particular:
    a) The table of contents of the guidelines document
       has changed and is now simpler, reflecting
       the primary principles of accessible UAs
 
    b) The table of contents of the techniques document
       has been designed with UA interfaces in mind.

    c) There are a few new techniques, but since they
       are lost in the middle of a lot of restructured
       techniques, readers should probably review
       all of the techniques anyway.

2) Techniques are now numbered.

3) The priorities sections now differ and UA developers
   are instructed that they are not required to "satisfy"
   the guidelines, only follow them. They are required
   to implement the techniques.

   The priorities section in the guidelines document needs
   work. 

4) There is new text in the techniques document about
   media dependences.

5) There is new text in the techniques documents about
   native vs. assistive support for techniques. The
   text is there, but the techniques themselves do not
   yet indicate which techniques must be supported natively.

6) The section on point of regard, selection, focus, and events
   in the guidelines document has been largely rewritten.


STILL TO DO:

 1) We need to flesh out the techniques document
 2) We need to establish the definitive priorities for
    guidelines and techniques.
 3) We need to establish which techniques must be
    implemented natively.
 4) We need more rationale text (from contributing
    WG members)
 5) We need to complete the sections on accessibility
    features of different languages (HTML/CSS/SMIL)
 6) We need to ensure that the accessibility API
    appendix is correct and up-to-date.
 7) We need to complete the appendixes:
      a) Techniques grouped by HTML theme (e.g., tables)
      b) Techniques grouped by HTML element (if applicable)

We await your comments and corrections.

 - Ian and Jon

[1] http://www.w3.org/WAI/UA/WD-WAI-USERAGENT-19981030/
[2]
http://www.w3.org/WAI/UA/WD-WAI-USERAGENT-19981030/wai-useragent-tech
[3] http://www.w3.org/WAI/UA

-- 
Ian Jacobs (jacobs@w3.org) 
Tel/Fax: (212) 684-1814 
http://www.w3.org/People/Jacobs

Received on Friday, 30 October 1998 18:56:59 UTC