Re: Proposed Note about developer-level information

Jon Gunderson wrote:
> 
> I have send Judy Brewer an e-mail about the conformance issue.  I think
> that WAI as a group needs to decide how people will use verify conformance.

The following responses are my opinions:
 
> 1. Will it be left up to developers themselves?

I think developers should be able to make conformance claims.

> 2. Will consumers be able to evaulate independently?

I think consumers should be able to make conformance claims.

> 3. Should there be a group that validates claims of conformance?

Setting up a third-party agency (or several) to verify conformance 
might be useful, notably if the agency gave feedback about the usability
of the guidelines, errata, etc. I doubt W3C has the resources to
serve as an agency itself, though it should be responsive to questions
from rating agencies (as part of life-after-Rec).

Labels and rating systems suggests using PICS 
for implementing solutions (refer to rating systems [1]).


 - Ian

[1] http://www.w3.org/PICS/raters.htm


> At 10:11 PM 10/3/99 -0400, Ian Jacobs wrote:
> >Hello,
> >
> >In my review of NN 4.6 [1] and from other reviews,
> >it is apparent that some of the checkpoints cannot be
> >verified by mere mortals; developer documentation or
> >assistance is required. In particular, the following
> >information is difficult to ascertain without detailed
> >specs:
> >
> >  1) Does the UA support all functionalities through a given
> >     input or output device API?
> >  2) Does the UA support a spec (W3C or other) 100%? Vendor claims
> >     are often exaggerated.
> >  3) What information is made available through software APIs?
> >     (user interface controls, document object model, etc.)
> >  4) If it's possible to control the UA through an API, how is this
> >     done?
> >
> >I propose that we include a Note in the document warning readers
> >that some of the checkpoints will be difficult to verify without
> >details from developers. For instance, in the section on Conformance,
> >we might say:
> >
> ><BLOCKQUOTE>
> >Note. While the checkpoints have been designed to be verifiable, some
> >may be difficult to verify without documentation from vendors about
> >what features and APIs they support.
> ></BLOCKQUOTE>
> >
> > - Ian
> >
> >[1] http://www.w3.org/WAI/UA/uagl-checklist-nn4.60
> >--
> >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

-- 
Ian Jacobs (jacobs@w3.org)   http://www.w3.org/People/Jacobs
Tel/Fax:                     +1 212 684-1814
Cell:                        +1 917 450-8783

Received on Monday, 4 October 1999 11:21:59 UTC