- From: Ian Jacobs <ij@w3.org>
- Date: Mon, 22 Feb 1999 10:59:17 -0500
- To: w3c-wai-ua@w3.org
Hello, Below is a proposal for two checkpoints that I hope will address the desktop browser/AT communication question. I hope we can discuss this at the 24 Feb 1999 teleconference. - Ian ----------------- Summary of Issues ----------------- - UAs and ATs need to communicate. - ATs want access to UA controls as well as document content (and they want to use as few interfaces as possible to do so). - It is within the scope of the WAI UA WG to address communication between ATs and desktop graphical browsers. - It is outside the scope of the WAI UA WG to address communication between ATs and software in general. - There are no (to my knowledge) platform-independent interfaces for interprocess communication about software controls. - DOM Level 1 addresses programmatic access to document content, but this alone is not sufficient for addressing all the communication/control needs of AT developers. - DOM Level 1 does not address interprocess communication. - It is costly for AT developers to implement many interfaces (i.e., to consider user agent communication a special case). ---------------------- Summary of Conclusions ---------------------- - Part of W3C's mission is to promote interoperability among Web agents. However, W3C does not yet offer a communication solution (Recommendation) that meets all of the needs expressed by AT developers. Some platform-dependent solutions address some, but not all, of these needs. - These guidelines should: a) promote interoperable communication where an applicable specification exists (DOM Level 1 and future levels) b) promote browser/AT communication today, even if that means platform-dependent solutions. An important question that merits WG attention is: what is the most important information that should be made available to AT's (for example, that is not made available by the W3C DOM). The results of WG consensus on this issue could be part of the techniques document or the basis of a set of requirements to the W3C DOM WG. ------------ The Proposal ------------ ACKNOWLEDGMENT: The following proposal is primarily Al Gilman's. Two checkpoints: 1. Priority 1. For desktop graphical browsers. Desktop graphical browsers must export programmatic interfaces to ATs and should follow operating system conventions to do so. [We might say "when such conventions exist" here, but I don't think it's necessary.] 2. Priority 1. For both types of UA. Exported interfaces must conform to those specified by a W3C DOM Recommendation. [We might say "where applicable" here, but I don't think it's necessary.] Please note: There is no checkpoint requiring ATs to export interfaces. Is such a checkpoint necessary? I suspect that if so, it's at most a Priority 2. - Ian -- Ian Jacobs (jacobs@w3.org) Tel/Fax: (212) 684-1814 http://www.w3.org/People/Jacobs
Received on Monday, 22 February 1999 11:01:05 UTC