Lost Guideline means lost focus

MINUTES(edited): W3C UA Telecon 3 Nov 99
>   16.GR: Repropose Checkpoiont 2.5 on user defined keyboard bindings so 
>that it's clear that there should be a cascade order whereby the user has 
>ultimate control or can concede control to the tool.
>      Status: comments are part of 29 October draft
[snip]

>4) Confirmation that old Guideline 2 (Keyboard) was deleted.
>Resolved: Ok

This isn't Ok. Guideline 2 as it was
http://www.w3.org/WAI/UA/WAI-USERAGENT-19991022
gave developers new to making programs usable for people with disabilities
grand insight into how help; the revised page feels lifeless. That is likely
because Group members have worked so long on the task you don't require all
the nuances to understand what must be done. May I suggest that Group
members try to imagine reading the pages for the first time without an AT
background (it took me years to stop assuming my reader understood my topic,
many professors took me to task). Perhaps the importance of keyboards was
over-stated, but now it is lost which is no better. 

Given that we don't how many folks rely on keyboards because a mouse can be
difficult to use even for people that aren't disabled it is reasonable to
clearly list keyboards to ensure usability which is part of the UA's Group
Charter. What u do have as a guild is 2 headwand typists, myself & Bill
McMurray <billmcm@earthlink.net> whom *buy* Opera http://www.opera.com
because only it has the extensive 1 keystroke commands we *require* to
efficiently explore the Web. Not to say Opera only has 1 feature, it is
amazingly versatile! NCSA Mosaic & Opera both have 1 key commands making
them current technology, & so appropriate for the UA Group to apply.

In early 1996 Mosaic rendered more & more blank pages so in July when I
found Opera on BrowserWatch it was a very joyful day, my best day on the
Web, because it meant the Web wouldn't disappear! When Opera's Jon S. von
Tetzchner introduced me to Mr. McMurray via email it was instance rapport
because of our common need. Please read Mr. McMurray's home page
http://home.earthlink.net/~billmcm/ for his enthusiasm over Opera & 1
keystroke browsing. Please read the article on his stroke
http://home.earthlink.net/~billmcm/article.html Now because the keyboard
Guideline was dropped I feel compelled to ask why 1 keystroke commands
aren't a Priority 1 on behalf of limited digit computer operators? From May
to Dec '98 I did a number of posts to the UA to illustrate 1 key utility &
how to make it easy for developers: frankly I'm quite disappointed having to
renew this issue with the W3C which I'd hoped would be an ally (Cerebral
Palsy makes me spastic & my voice very uneven, both increased by the need to
protect my Web access, while Mr. McMurray's stroke left him with no speech
so Voice Recognition isn't the easy fix it seems). Also you need to call
upon Mr. von Tetzchner as the expert on keyboard browsing since he has made
it work! Yes there is a Technique to have user configure their own commands
which is an unreasonable burden on *people* least able to cope with it. The
Guidelines stress independent use of programs it mustn't be thought an
experienced person will guide keyboard configuration. Regular computer
buyers don't have to build their own mouse, people with disabilities
shouldn't need to configure their own keyboard commands. Today it hit me
very hard why I've not seen Mr. McMurray join in on forums, it just ends up
too disheartening.

Yet I've a little hope remaining that remedies arrive at the crunch so I
will say thank you in advance for a better close to the issue!

Regards,
Bryan

->"I don't need to stand to talk, to advise, & to generally make a pain in
the ass out of myself." Dr. Stephen Franklin, "Babylon 5": 'Shadow Dancing'

Received on Thursday, 4 November 1999 19:38:11 UTC