Re: Proposed modification to definition of "applicable checkpoint"

I like the new preamble to the list of when a checkpoint applies.  I think
the new list is more comprehensive.
 
Jon


At 12:02 PM 9/22/99 -0400, Ian Jacobs wrote:
>Hello, 
>
>In the 27 August draft [1], applicable checkpoint is defined
>as follows:
>
><BLOCKQUOTE>
>A checkpoint applies to a user agent unless: 
>              a   
>     * The checkpoint definition states explicitly that 
>       it only applies to a different class of user agent. 
>
>     * The checkpoint addresses a content type (script, 
>       image, video, sound, applets, etc.)
>       that the user agent does not recognize. 
>
>     * The checkpoint refers to a content type that the user 
>       agent recognizes but does not support natively. 
>
>     * The checkpoint refers to the properties of an
>       embedded object (e.g., video or animation rate) 
>       that may not be controlled or accessed by the user agent. 
></BLOCKQUOTE>
>
>I would like to change this definition as follows:
>
>  The spirit of these guidelines is the following:
>  If a user agent offers a functionality, it must 
>  ensure that all users have access to that 
>  functionality or an equivalent alternative. Thus,
>  if the user agent supports keyboard input, it must 
>  support accessible keyboard input. If the user
>  agent supports images, it must ensure access to each image
>  or an alternative equivalent supplied by the author.
>  If a user agent supports style sheets, it must 
>  implement the accessibility features of the style
>  sheet language. If the user agent supports
>  frames, it must ensure access to frame 
>  alternatives supplied by the author.
>
>  Not all user agents support every content
>  type, markup language feature, input or output
>  device interface, etc. When a content type, feature, or
>  device interface is not supported, checkpoints with requirements
>  related to it do not apply to the user agent. Thus,
>  if a user agent supports style sheets at all,
>  all checkpoints related to style sheet accessibility apply. 
>  If a user agent does not support style sheets at all,
>  the checkpoints do not apply.
> 
>  The applicability of checkpoints related to 
>  markup language features is measured
>  similarly. If a user agent supports tables, it must
>  support the accessibility features of the language
>  related to tables (or images, or frames, or video, or
>  links, etc.). The Techniques Document includes information
>  about the accessibility features of W3C languages such as HTML,
>  CSS, and SMIL.
>
>  The following summarizes criteria for applicability.
>  A checkpoint applies to a user agent unless:
>
>     * The checkpoint definition states explicitly that 
>       it only applies to a different class of user agent. 
>
>     * The checkpoint includes requirements about 
>       a content type (script, image, video, sound, 
>       applets, etc.) that the user agent does not 
>       recognize at all.
>
>     * The checkpoint includes requirements about 
>       a content type that the user 
>       agent recognizes but does not support natively.
>
>     * The checkpoint refers to the properties of an
>       embedded object (e.g., video or animation rate) 
>       that may not be controlled or accessed by the user agent. 
>
>     * The checkpoint includes requirements about an
>       unsupported markup language or other technology
>      (e.g., style sheets,  mathematical markup language, 
>      synchronized multimedia, metadata description language, etc.)
>   
>     * The checkpoint refers to an unsupported
>       input or output device interface. Note that if the 
>       interface is supported at all, it must be 
>       supported accessibly.
>
> - Ian
>
>
>[1] http://www.w3.org/WAI/UA/WAI-USERAGENT-19990827 
>-- 
>Ian Jacobs (jacobs@w3.org)   http://www.w3.org/People/Jacobs
>Tel/Fax:                     +1 212 684-1814
>Cell:                        +1 917 450-8783

Jon Gunderson, Ph.D., ATP
Coordinator of Assistive Communication and Information Technology
Chair, W3C WAI User Agent Working Group
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.w3.org/wai/ua
		http://www.als.uiuc.edu/InfoTechAccess

Received on Wednesday, 22 September 1999 16:25:26 UTC