Re: "For dependent user agents"

Response in JRG:

At 02:39 PM 8/20/99 -0500, Kitch Barnicle wrote:
>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.?

JRG: Natural language means that if the user agent can identify the
langauge of
the element content (primarily markup of the element) that the user agent
should render through speech, visual or braille that appropriate language.  It
seems to me that this should apply to all user agents, I am not sure why it is
just for dependent user agents.

The document outline feature was thought most important for accessibility and
could be given a higher priority for 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.

JRG: 12. Observe system conventions and standard interfaces is the place fo
desktop graphical user agents to expose information that is needed by depedent
user agents to full fill a checkpopint.

>
>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.

JRG: If nothing is said then they are for both.  If one or the other is
mentioned it is for the one mentioned.

>
>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.

JRG: Great.

>
>Thanks,
>-kitch
>  
Jon Gunderson, Ph.D., ATP
Coordinator of Assistive Communication and Information Technology
Division of Rehabilitation - Education Services
University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign
1207 S. Oak Street
Champaign, IL 61820

Voice: 217-244-5870
Fax: 217-333-0248
E-mail: jongund@uiuc.edu
WWW:	http://www.staff.uiuc.edu/~jongund
	http://www.als.uiuc.edu/InfoTechAccess

Received on Monday, 23 August 1999 09:29:56 UTC