- From: Ian Jacobs <ij@w3.org>
- Date: Tue, 18 Apr 2000 12:06:04 -0400
- To: w3c-wai-ua@w3.org
Hello, As part of resolving issues 255 [1] and 260 [2], I would like to propose the following changes to Guideline 1. Proposal 1) For the Guideline rationale: <OLD> In addition to ensuring device-independent access to all functionalities, developers must use the standard APIs of the operating system for supported devices. This allows assistive technologies to operate the user agent programmatically by simulating events from a mouse, keyboard, pen, or other input device. For instance, when standard APIs are used, some users who are not able to enter text easily through a standard physical keyboard may still use voice input or an on-screen keyboard to operate the user agent. </OLD> <NEW> To ensure that assistive technologies can both operate the user agent programmatically (e.g., through simulated keyboard events) and monitor user agent output (e.g., output text), developers are expected to use each API appropriately. For example, for rendering text, developers are expected to use an API for drawing text. Developers should not, for example, convert text to a bitmap to be rendered via a graphical API; this may prevent other software from being able to use the text. </NEW> Proposal 2) Checkpoint 1.1 <OLD> 1.1 Ensure that every functionality available through the user interface is also available through every input device API supported by the user agent. Excluded from this requirement are functionalities that are part of the input device API itself (e.g., text input for the keyboard API, pointer motion for the pointer API, etc.) [Priority 1] Note. The device-independence required by this checkpoint applies to functionalities described by the other checkpoints in this document (e.g., installation, documentation, user agent user interface configuration, etc.). This checkpoint does not require user agents to use all operating system input device APIs, only to make the software accessible through those they do use. </OLD> <NEW> 1.1 Ensure that every functionality available through the user interface is available through every input API implemented by the user agent. [Priority 1] Note. This checkpoint does not require developers to implement all operating system input APIs, only to make the software accessible through those they do implement. The device-independence required by this checkpoint applies to the functionalities described by the other checkpoints in this document (e.g., installation, documentation, user agent user interface configuration, etc.). This checkpoint does not require developers to reimplement the input methods associated with the keyboard, pointing device, voice, and other device APIs. For example, developers are not required to implement text input through a mouse API. </NEW> Proposal 3) Checkpoint 1.2 Add the following note after the existing text: <NEW> Note. Developers should use APIs available at a higher level of abstraction than device APIs, provided that, in turn, these higher level APIs make use of the standard device APIs for the operating system. </NEW> Proposal 4) Checkpoint 1.4 <OLD> 1.4 Ensure that every functionality available through the user interface is also available through the standard keyboard API. [Priority 1] Note. This checkpoint is an important special case of checkpoint 1.1. The comment about low-level functionalities in checkpoint 1.1 applies to this checkpoint as well. Refer also to checkpoint 10.8. </OLD> <NEW> 1.4 Implement the standard keyboard API of the operating system and ensure that every functionality available through the user interface is available through this API. [Priority 1] Note. This checkpoint always applies on systems with a standard keyboard API. This checkpoint is an important special case of checkpoint 1.1. Refer also to checkpoint 10.8. </NEW> - Ian [1] http://cmos-eng.rehab.uiuc.edu/ua-issues/issues-linear.html#255 [2] http://cmos-eng.rehab.uiuc.edu/ua-issues/issues-linear.html#260 -- Ian Jacobs (jacobs@w3.org) http://www.w3.org/People/Jacobs Tel: +1 831 457-2842 Cell: +1 917 450-8783
Received on Tuesday, 18 April 2000 12:06:16 UTC