- From: Markku Hakkinen <markku.hakkinen@gmail.com>
- Date: Mon, 6 Jun 2011 12:57:35 -0400
- To: UAWG list <w3c-wai-ua@w3.org>
Is the UA becoming the new OS? Some developments to consider: "Windows 8 apps use the power of HTML5, tapping into the native capabilities of Windows using standard JavaScript and HTML to deliver new kinds of experiences." [1] "Webian Shell is a full screen web browser for devices that don't need a desktop... The idea of the Webian Shell project is to re-think your computer's interface as something much simpler which treats web applications as first class citizens and does away with all the un-necessary clutter." [2] "At the core of each Chromebook is the Chrome web browser. The web has millions of applications and billions of users." [3] Are there implications in this trend for UAAG? According to Google the ChromeOS accessibility support is via ChromeVox [4], a self-voicing browser extension for Chrome. Is it time to revisit the definition of UA? I believe we need to be more explicit about how the user agent is evolving beyond just a traditional Web browser. To make a start, I have taken the introductory text from the current draft [5] and revised it: "A user agent is any software that retrieves and presents Web content for end users or is implemented using Web technologies. User agents include Web browsers, media players, and plug-ins that help in retrieving, rendering and interacting with Web content. The family of user agents also includes operating system shells, consumer electronics with Web-widgets, and stand-alone applications or embedded applications whose user interface is implemented as a combination of Web technologies." The definition of user agent [6] is also a candidate for revision: "A user agent is any software that retrieves, renders and facilitates end user interaction with Web content, or whose user interface is implemented using Web technologies." I throw this out for comment. Is this a needed revision? Are there other suggestions? mark [1] http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/features/2011/jun11/06-01corporatenews.aspx [2] http://webian.org/shell/ [3] http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2011/05/new-kind-of-computer-chromebook.html [4] http://www.google.com/support/chromeos/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=177893 [5] http://www.w3.org/WAI/UA/2011/ED-UAAG20-20110525/#introduction [6] http://www.w3.org/WAI/UA/2011/ED-UAAG20-20110525/#def-user-agent
Received on Monday, 6 June 2011 17:00:48 UTC