[glossary] WCA concepts off target

From time to time it has come up that the Web Characterization Activity
produced a document setting out some concepts and vocabulary.  

 Web Characterization Terminology & Definitions Sheet
 http://www.w3.org/1999/05/WCA-terms/

This is an excellent practice.  But the view of "what the Web is" that is
set out in that document is not quite so excellent.  It is not a fit
reference platform on which to build what we have to say about the Web.
Contrast the view of the Web set out there with the one in 

 HCI Fundamentals and PWD Failure Modes
 http://trace.wisc.edu/docs/ud4grid/#_Toc495220368

Tim Berners-Lee was kind enough to include some of the ideas in the latter
reference in his remarks to the recent Technical Plenary.  

If we don't look at the Web as an iterative process where each cycle of
many closes through the comprehension of the user, we don't describe what
makes the Web great, and we don't have enough context in view to build an
accessible-by-construction Web architecture.  We need to be working on a
device-independent characterization of the Web as a process that iterates
through many cycles through some human-computer interface as part of its
essential or characteristic mode of operation.

Al

Received on Saturday, 24 March 2001 15:29:31 UTC