Re: Proposed change to priority wording

Denis Anson wrote:
> 
> Ian,
> 
> I don't think we want to remove the option of making functionality available
> through add-on assistive technology in a browser.  Some special features,
> like speech output, Braille output, or speech recognition are better
> provided through external programming, since the need for them is relatively
> small compared with the overall marketplace.  Besides, input adaptations and
> output adaptations should be consistent across applications, so are better
> provided with external tools rather that having to change strategies with
> each program.

For conformance, there's no dependence on other software. There are
only three possibilities for a checkpoint: you satisfy, you don't, or
it's not applicable. There's no option for "done by other software".

It may be that ATs do some tasks better, and general UAs have to
make information available to them. But a tool's conformance must
be independent of other tools.

 - Ian


> Ian wrote:
> I'm reading the User Agent Guidelines (a rare treat!). The
> priority statements are not correct with respect to
> the recent change in conformance. The current wording
> (e.g., for Priority 1):
> 
> <BLOCKQUOTE>
> This checkpoint must be implemented by user agents
> as a native feature or through compatibility with
> assistive technology, otherwise one or more groups
> of users with disabilities will find it impossible
> to access information. Satisfying this checkpoint is
> a basic requirement for some individuals to be
> able to use the Web.
> </BLOCKQUOTE>
> 
> I propose the following change:
> 
> <BLOCKQUOTE>
> This checkpoint must be satisfied by user agents as a native feature,
> otherwise one or more groups of users with disabilities will
> find it impossible to access information. Satisfying
> this checkpoint is a basic requirement for
> some individuals to be able to use the Web.
> </BLOCKQUOTE>
> 
>  - Ian
> 
> --
> Ian Jacobs (jacobs@w3.org)   http://www.w3.org/People/Jacobs
> Tel/Fax:                     +1 212 684-1814
> Cell:                        +1 917 450-8783

-- 
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 15:47:37 UTC