Re: Response to the User Agent Guidelines draft.

Lakespur Roca wrote:
> 
> I know this is late but just in case you could still use this...

It's (almost) never too late.
 
> However I felt that the present audience for this document are people
> with experience in designing for the disabled rather than the actual
> people who will be using the guidelines. Is this intentional? Is there
> another version planed down the line?  This is what I would like to see
> in a document for people designing browser, web pages and such. (I
> haven't gotten to the Web Authoring document yet.)
> 
> As some one who has written an internal guidelines document for
> engineers and designers I have found that laying the ground work is as
> important as giving directions. If I were a developer and had to use
> this document I would want to know about the disabilities you are
> addressing. Most would find it obvious that vision impaired persons
> would need assistance but most would be unfamiliar with the cognitive
> and learning disabilities as well as the physical limitations of some
> crippling illnesses. The "Why am I doing it this way?" question plagues
> you until they understand this. Additionally many of them would be
> unfamiliar with the viewing devices and their specifications for input.
> (I sure am. Could any one point me in the right direction?)

Yours are important comments and I agree that there should be more
context for readers new to the subject. Since there are three sets
of guidelines, we plan on providing separate resources (e.g., 
descriptions of assistive technologies) that may be referenced
by all three sets. 

Of course, we welcome more detailed suggestions about how to
introduce these topics to new readers. Also, any suggested text
(without going so far as to ask for your internal guidelines
document...) would be appreciated.
 
> In the techniques section, it  is not obvious as to who needs to
> implement what. An attempt should be made to make this more clear. (I
> think it was already mentioned that this was needed elsewhere.)

By "who", do you mean "native implementation" vs. "third-party
implementation" or do you have further distinctions in mind?
 
Thanks for you input,

  - Ian

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

Received on Wednesday, 2 December 1998 09:22:49 UTC