"For dependent user agents"

Hi everyone,

Since I have been away for three months I either bring a fresh eye to the
guidelines or I am totally clueless, or perhaps both.  So feel free to put
me back in my place.

I have been reading the guidelines with the notion that those check points
that say "For Dependent User Agents" in front of them, only apply to
dependent user agents.  However in several cases that didn't seem to make
sense. For example why would  checkpoints 7.3, "Render content according to
natural language identification," or 9.3 "Allow the user to view a document
outline constructed from its structural elements." only apply to dependent
user agents.?

Following a discussion about what mainstream user agents should expose, I
thought perhaps "for dependent user agents" meant that this checkpoint
should be satisfied by a desktop browser so that the information needed by
a dependent user agent is exposed.  However, this meaning breaks down as
well. For example,  when I get to the check points  that say "for graphical
desktop browsers" it doesn't make sense.

So can someone please explain the distinction among checkpoints that say
1)for dependent user agents 2) for graphical desktop browsers and 3) those
checkpoints that do not have a "for" statement.

If we are going to stay with these distinctions I would suggest that we say
"this checkpoint only applies to dependent user agents" or something
equivalent.

I promise not to go away again for three months.

Thanks,
-kitch

Received on Friday, 20 August 1999 15:40:31 UTC