Issue 324: Proposal for revised checkpoint 6.2

Hello,

Per my action from the 16 November face-to-face meeting [1],
please consider this proposed change to checkpoint 6.2.

From the 23 October draft [2]:

  6.2 Use and conform to W3C Recommendations when they are 
      available and appropriate for a task. [Priority 2] 

      Note: For instance, for markup, conform to HTML 4 [HTML4], XHTML
      1.0 [XHTML10], or XML 1.0 [XML]. For style sheets, conform to
      CSS ([CSS1], [CSS2]). For mathematics, conform to MathML
      [MATHML]. For synchronized multimedia, implement SMIL 1.0
      [SMIL]. For information about programmatic access to HTML and
      XML content, refer to guideline 5. User agents may conform to
      other specifications in addition to those required by this
      checkpoint. For reasons of backward compatibility, user agents
      should continue to implement deprecated features of
      specifications. Information about deprecated language features
      is generally part of the language's specification.

The discussion points at the face-to-face meeting were
the following:

1) It's a P2 issue to implement W3C specifications, or if
   you don't, implement formats that allow conformance to
   WCAG 1.0 (at any level of conformance).

2) It's a P2 issue to conform to a spec, not just
   to implement it incompletely.

3) It's important to support deprecated features, but
   this will not a requirement of UAAG 1.0 (per our resolution).

4) It's important to implement the latest version,
   but developers should consider supporting the version that
   has the latest accessibility features. [This is for Techniques]

5) One reviewer requested a clearer statement of
   what "available" means.

Putting these together:

<NEW>
  6.2 Use and conform to either (1) W3C Recommendations when they are 
      available and appropriate for a task, or (2) non-W3C 
      specifications that enable the creation of content that
      conforms to the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 1.0
      [WCAG10] at any conformance level. [Priority 2] 

      Note: For instance, for markup, conform to HTML 4 [HTML4], XHTML
      1.0 [XHTML10], or XML 1.0 [XML]. For style sheets, conform to
      CSS ([CSS1], [CSS2]). For mathematics, conform to MathML
      [MATHML]. For synchronized multimedia, implement SMIL 1.0
      [SMIL]. A specification is considered "available" if it is
      published (e.g., as a W3C Recommendation) in time for
      integration into a user agent's development cycle.
</NEW>

For the techniques (in addition to other points):

1) For reasons of backward compatibility, user agents should continue
to implement deprecated features of specifications. Information about
deprecated language features is generally part of the language's
specification.

2) If more than one version or level of a specification is appropriate
for a particular task, user agents are encouraged to conform to the
latest version. However, developers should consider implementing the
version that best supports accessibility, even if this is not the
latest version.

 - Ian

[1] http://www.w3.org/WAI/UA/2000/11/minutes-20001116#issue-324
[2] http://www.w3.org/TR/2000/WD-UAAG10-20001023/

-- 
Ian Jacobs (jacobs@w3.org)   http://www.w3.org/People/Jacobs
Tel:                         +1 831 457-2842
Cell:                        +1 917 450-8783

Received on Wednesday, 27 December 2000 13:50:09 UTC