Proposed clarification to 5.6 and 8.7

Hello,

In reading the document today, I found checkpoints 5.6
and 8.7 slightly confusing. In the 10 March Proposed 
Recommendation [1] these checkpoints read:

5.6 Implement selection, content focus, and user interface focus
mechanisms.     
    [Priority 1] 

8.7 Provide a mechanism for highlighting and identifying active 
    elements (through a standard interface where available). [Priority
2] 

1) First of all, 5.6 is in the Guideline about system conventions
   and standard interfaces and yet says nothing about either of those.
   However, the note after states that this checkpoint is a special
   case of checkpoint 5.5., which is about using standard APIs
   to provide access to user interface controls.

   Proposed: 
    1) Move checkpoint 5.6 to Guideline 8 Orientation
      (refer to part two of this message for more info).
    2) Add to checkpoint 5.5 the same parenthetical already
       in 5.7: "user interface controls (including selection,
       content focus, and user interface focus)". This will
       cover the intent of the Note after the current 5.6.

2) Second, 8.7 includes a confusing parenthetical: "(through a 
   standard interface where available)". It is hard to
   tell whether this means through an API or through standard 
   mechanisms of the user interface.

   I don't think it's about an API since that's covered
   by checkpoint 5.5 (and if it is meant to be about
   and API, we should delete it since it's covered
   elsewhere). I think that this means "use standard 
   user interface controls to idnetify and highlight
   active elements." 

   Therefore, I think 5.6 and 8.7 should be adjacent in
   Guideline 8 and read:

   a) Implement selection, content focus, and user interface 
      focus mechanisms [Priority 2]
        Refer to checkpoint 5.9 about following conventions
        for user interface design.

   b) Provide a mechanism for identifying and highlighting
      active elements. [Priority 2].
        Note: On most systems, the focus is used for navigation
              and activation of active elements.

      Comment: This note already appears in the definition of
               "active element".   

  Alternatively, 5.6 could be moved to the section on navigation.

 - Ian

[1] http://www.w3.org/TR/2000/PR-UAAG10-20000310/
-- 
Ian Jacobs (jacobs@w3.org)   http://www.w3.org/People/Jacobs
Tel:                         +1 831 457-2842
Cell:                        +1 917 450-8783

Received on Friday, 5 May 2000 16:11:45 UTC