Proposed Note for checkpoint 1.1 on device-independent input

Hello,

My action item of 7 July [1]:

>   Ian: Propose to the list changes to checkpoint 1.1 in wording
>        about text input through the mouse.
>          a) In checkpoint itself
>          b) In note after checkpoint.

In the 9 July release [0], the same checkpoint is 1.1:

>    1.1 Ensure that all functionalities offered by the user agent interface
>        are available through all supported input devices.

The issue (as Harvey pointed out [2]): For conformance, do user
agents have to allow users to enter text with the mouse?

I think that users should be able to enter text with the mouse
(whether for accessibility reasons or for internationalization reasons)
but it may not be the UA's job to provide this functionality.

If the UA operates on an OS where users can enter 
text into any piece of software through an
entry palette, checkpoint 1.1 is satisfied (device
independence would be "ensured"). 

Hence, I would like to propose a Note to follow the checkpoint:

   Note. User agents should make use of operating system-level
         input and output mechanisms such as text entry palettes.

I don't have any suggestions right now on what to say for
UAs that operate on systems without os-level entry palettes.
Do many users require being able to enter text with a mouse
for accessibility reasons?

 - Ian
 
[0]
http://www.w3.org/WAI/UA/WAI-USERAGENT-19990709/#gl-device-independence
[1] http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/w3c-wai-ua/1999JulSep/0003.html
[2] http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/w3c-wai-ua/1999AprJun/0204.html

-- 
Ian Jacobs (jacobs@w3.org)   http://www.w3.org/People/Jacobs
Tel/Fax:                     +1 212 684-1814

Received on Monday, 12 July 1999 11:57:02 UTC