Review of WAI-USERAGENT-19990611

General reaction: very good. Thanks, Jon and Ian.

Nits:

Abstract

a. Para 2, last sentence  
>The appendix is available as either a tabular summary of checkpoints or as a
simple list of checkpoints

This appendix is available both as a tabular summary and as a simple list of 
checkpoints. 


[re: checkpoint list/table: check consistency of initial caps used on
headings.]

b. Abstract, Para 3, ... not all browsers or multimedia tools Xmay Xsupport
the features described in the guidelines.

Table of Contents

Final para: "The appendix list of checkpoints ...

[Neither appendix is in TOC. Not clear that it is an appendix. Perhaps
refer to them just as Checkpoints, analogous to Techniques.] 

>1.1 Principles of Accessible Design

>Ensure that the user interface is accessible.

Para 2. 
>The general topic of user interface accessibility for computer software
exceeds the scope of this document. 

I question that disclaimer. Nowhere else to my knowledge is this topic
covered, and I think that is our charter. Given it, though, I believe 
mention that the UA-TECHNIQUES document indicates current user interface 
accessibility suggestions is appropriate.

>Help Orient the User

UL 2, LI 1.   
>...how many links the document contains or the number of the 
current link.   

I don't appreciate why the "number of the current" link is useful. What if
some links reoccur? Are they counted? First occurrence number used?

UL 2, LI 2.  
>... "how whether the document has finished loading" 
should be "when has the document finished loading"

[Should a "download progress" indication be available?]

[Should we include a suggestion to download text and ALT="..." before images?]

>Follow system standards and conventions.

>Implementing interoperable standards (such as those produced by W3C)

W3C produces Technical Recommendations, not standards.

>2. How the Guidelines are Organized

last Para.

>Each checkpoint is intended to be specific enough so that someone reviewing 
a page or site may verify that the checkpoint has been satisfied.

Should refer to user agent, not page or site.

>3.1 Conformance

>Conformance claims

Suggest remove ";" from ends of each UL LI

[Suggest if dependent UA, further qualify limits expected by that UA.

Final Note: 
[Do we expect that the dated version of the guidelines will drop the
date in the event this document becomes a W3C Recommendation?]

>4. User Agent Accessibility Guidelines

Para 1 
>Input devices include pointing devices, keyboards, braille devices, head 
wands, microphones, and others.
 
Input devices [add: touch screens] 
  
>Output devices may include monitors, speech synthesizers, braille devices, and
printers.

[add: force feedback graphics, refreshable "paper" (is that device or media?]

>Please note that "device-independent support" does not mean that user agents
must support every input or output device. User agents should offer redundant
input and output mechanisms for those devices that are supported. For example,
if a user agent supports keyboard and mouse input, users should be able to
interact with all features using either the keyboard or the mouse. 

[? I am uncertain that mouse needs to provide all keyboard capabilities?]

1.3   _active elements_ needs link to glossary

[General questions: 
How handle the bootstrap process to get started: what can be assumed: 
operating system, file system, available device "plug & play"?]

>2.4 Allow the user to configure element sets for various navigation
mechanisms. [Priority 2] For instance, allow the user to choose which element
types to navigate sequentially (e.g., links alone, links and headers, headers
and lists, etc.). Similarly, allow the user to choose element types for direct
navigation and searching. 

[Choices should be dynamic, and readily changed to match the user's current
desires.]

>3.2 Describe product features known to promote accessibility in a section of
the product documentation. [Priority 2] 

[How find these initially?]

>4.8 Allow the user to turn on and off support for scripts and applets.
[Priority 1] 
Note. This is particularly important for scripts that cause the screen to
flicker, since people with photosensitive epilepsy can have seizures triggered
by flickering or flashing in the 4 to 59 flashes per second (Hertz) range.

[I believe european frequency is 50 Hz. I expect that 59 Hz value was picked
to be just below the 60 Hz. US/Canadian AC power frequency. I note that
the effective 30 Hz of US TV interlace seems to violate the above as well.

This should have been caught in the Web Content Guidelines.]

>4.10 Allow the user to turn on and off support for author style sheets.

[Does this mean substitute for author style sheets, in part or completely,
using the CSS cascading and IMPORTANT indications?

Or was the intent: audible, rather than author? If author, should audible 
style sheets be a separate list item?]

>4.13 ?automatic page forwarding?  
[I'm unfamiliar with this, is it a "feature" of existing browsers?]

>5.8 Allow the user to control video frame rates.

[That presumes adequate net support for bandwidth and non-interruption.]

>5.11 Allow the user to control audio playback rate.

[That presumes adequate net support for bandwidth and non-interruption.]

[Suggest for parallelism with 5.8-5.9 that 5.13 come before 5.12.]

>6.8 Allow the user to specify that captions for audio be rendered
at the same time as the audio.

[replaced "at the same time" by "synchronized with"]
[Similarly for 6.11 and 6.12]

>Guideline 7...

>Note:

[why is the style for the selection and the focus link different from
that for active elements?]

>7.2 Keep track of the user's point of regard ...

[point of regard  should be a link]

>7.5 Allow the user to navigate directly to active elements in the document. 
[Priority 2] For instance, the user might navigate directly by selecting the
number of a link or by entering the first letter of link text. 

[Why would these numbers on links (or of links) be known? 
In the case of repeated first letters of link text that are repeated, 
move to next so-starting, case independent.]

>7.6 Allow the user to search for active elements. [Priority 2]

[active elements   should be link]

>8.5, 8.6    make link of viewport

>8.8 For dependent user agents. Allow the user to view a document outline
constructed from its structural elements (e.g., from header and list elements).
[Priority 2] 

[Not all list elements have any identification that would help to 
differentiate structure.]

>8.9   ...[from] the document root.

>8.16 Make available whether a chosen link has already been visited. 

[even if multiple instances of that link occur in the document.]

>11.1 For desktop graphical browsers. Use and provide accessible interfaces to
other technologies. [Priority 1] 
To promote interoperability, open standards should be used wherever possible.

[open standards or W3C recommendations] 


>Native support A user agent supports a feature natively if it does not require
another piece of software (e.g., plug-in or external program) for support

[Native support does not preclude more extensive support by AT, so the
interface for that support may still be needed.]

General: reference to [TECHNIQUES] should probably be to [UA-TECHNIQUES]
as there are other techniques documents.

End: Suggest that [checklist] should show both the table and list forms
separately


Regards/Harvey Bingham

Received on Wednesday, 16 June 1999 11:10:09 UTC