Re: Proposal to delete checkpoint 3.2 and expand 4.10

Ian, Thanks for your work and to Erick and Charles as well.  I know of no
software besides windows its self that has independant controll over several
types of volume controll and I agree that if we have a checkpoint such as
that which you proppose below which allows for independant controll of
different audio volumes that this might fill the need.  I question however
in light of the above and your question that we might be adding something to
the requirement ie that this fascility be made available.  as written in
separate form, the synthesized speech volume could be specifically applied. 
I guess the priority of audio over all was settled but I still have
reservations about making it a p1 since synthesized speach is geared to
alternative content and it is possible to get at over all volume in other
ways in every system I know of.  of course, if this is a native thing than
the question might come into play.

Ian Jacobs wrote:
> 
> Hello,
> 
> After several hours of discussions today with Charles
> and Eric Hansen, I would like to propose the following
> changes to the document. The checkpoint numbers are those
> of the 7 May Guidelines [1].
> 
> This proposal concerns "volume" related checkpoints. Here
> are the checkpoints that include requirements for volume
> control:
> 
> 3.2 Allow the user to turn on and off rendering of
>     background audio. [Priority 1]
> 3.4 Allow the user to turn on and off rendering of
>     audio. [Priority 1]
> 4.8 Allow the user to configure the audio volume.
>     [Priority 2]
> 4.10 Allow the user to configure synthesized speech volume.
>     [Priority 1]
> 
> At the 8 June teleconference, we resolved to change
> the priority of 4.8 to P1.
> 
> I propose changing the requirements embodied by
> these three checkpoints to the following:
> 
>  1) On/off control of global audio
>     (When audio is a distraction. This is a special
>      case of the second requirement, but can stand alone.)
> 
>  2) Control of global audio volume
>     (For users who are hard of hearing and users for whom
>      audio is a distraction.)
> 
>  3) Relative control of volume among audio objects.
>     (Currently, this is only applied to the particular
>      case of synthesized speech. For notes on discussion
>      about this requirement, refer to 8 June minutes [2].)
> 
> Note that checkpoint 3.2 is about "background audio". What is the
> difference between turning off background audio and turning
> off audio, except when background audio is an identifiable track
> that may be turned off independently of other audio? I'm not
> sure there is a difference, but to capture the requirement
> of being able to make background audio go away, I propose
> augmenting the scope of 4.10 to cover all audio objects.
> Thus, we would end up with the following three priority
> one checkpoints:
> 
> 1) Allow the user to turn on and off rendering of audio.
> 2) Allow the user to configure the audio volume.
> 3) Allow the user to control the volume of audio sources
>    independently.
> 
> Notes:
> 
> 1) The applicability clause is in effect here. Therefore,
>    if some other agent renders the audio, that agent is
>    responsible for volume control.
> 
> 2) It might be possible to narrow the scope of checkpoint
>    three to the two cases already discussed in the document:
>    background audio and synthesized speech. However, defining
>    "background audio" is difficult and I don't know whether
>    life would be any easier on developers if we did. Does anyone
>    know of existing software where the user can control the
>    volume of different audio sources independently?
> 
>  - Ian
> 
> [1] http://www.w3.org/WAI/UA/WD-UAAG10-20000507
> [2] http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/w3c-wai-ua/2000AprJun/0429.html
> 
> --
> Ian Jacobs (jacobs@w3.org)   http://www.w3.org/People/Jacobs
> Tel:                         +1 831 457-2842
> Cell:                        +1 917 450-8783

-- 
Hands-On Technolog(eye)s
ftp://poehlman.clark.net
http://poehlman.clark.net
mailto:poehlman@clark.net
voice 301-949-7599
end sig.

Received on Saturday, 10 June 2000 18:29:36 UTC