RE: [Action] Issue 443: Repair of device-dependent author-specifiedbehavior.

Ian, 

No single checkpoint will assure that all groups will have access to the
web.  In any P1 checkpoint, some group that would have been limited will
now have access.  Providing mouse emulation through the keyboard will
allow access to those individuals who are using character generating
interface devices, but who do not have native mouse movement capability.


Someone using Morse Code, for example, can't move the mouse directly.
But with a "keyboard interface" can move the mouse on the screen.  This
person represents a group who gains access via this P1 requirement, but
other groups will not be helped by this single chekcpoint.

Denis


-----Original Message-----
From: w3c-wai-ua-request@w3.org [mailto:w3c-wai-ua-request@w3.org] On
Behalf Of Ian Jacobs
Sent: Wednesday, February 21, 2001 9:06 PM
To: Charles McCathieNevile
Cc: Jon Gunderson; w3c-wai-ua@w3.org
Subject: Re: [Action] Issue 443: Repair of device-dependent
author-specifiedbehavior.


Charles McCathieNevile wrote:
> 
> No.
> 
> It is not about guaranteeing access, it is about providing a way to 
> alleviate a problem, which (at P1 level) is otherwise guaranteed to 
> prevent access.

My comment about our priority definitions not referring to the 
responsibilities of authors is an important one. The user agent cannot
remove all access barriers alone; the author must contribute. The
definition of P1 is:

  "This checkpoint must be satisfied by user agents, otherwise one 
  or more groups of users with disabilities will find it impossible
  to access the Web. Satisfying this checkpoint is a basic 
  requirement for enabling some people to access the Web."

Substituting:

 "The user agent must emulate all mouse behavior through the
  keyboard, otherwise one or more groups of users with disabilities
  will find it impossible to access the Web."

I don't agree with the substitution since the "otherwise" doesn't work
for me; even if the UA emulates/repairs, one or more 
groups of users will still find it impossible to access the 
Web (as described below). The author's contribution is crucial 
here, and that's not captured in our priority statement.

 - Ian

Received on Friday, 23 February 2001 13:24:37 UTC