Re: ARIA should require DOM mutation event support for compliance.

Boris Zbarsky wrote:
> Aaron M Leventhal wrote:
> Hi Boris, what other standard besides mutation events can fill this 
> purpose for page scripts today? 
> Alternately, page authors could poll the attribute value, without 
> relying on mutation events at all. 
According to the BPG, there are a number of states and properties that 
an external AT might change:
http://www.w3.org/WAI/PF/aria-practices/#aria-write

Webapp scripts are written to listen for various events, and handle as 
appropriate.  Having to also poll for changes that an external agent may 
or may not make is not an option.  For example, imagine polling all 
elements that have an aria-selected state.  That adds bloat, is 
difficult to maintain, and is error prone.  Responding to notification 
of the change is preferred.
> There could be a custom event for this one situation dispatched by the 
> UA, for example.  What the event would be would need to be 
> standardized, of course. 

If something like this could be done that is more efficient then the 
existing DOM mutation event standard, then that would be perfectly 
acceptable.  But, my experience is that a new standard will take a while 
to reach full specification.

> Even more alternately, authors could ignore the SHOULD-level requirement. 
Even if they do, the possibility remains that ATs might change aria-* 
attributes, and the scripts need to handle this.

-- 
;;;;joseph

'This is not war -- this is pest control!'
      - "Doomsday", Dalek Leader -

Received on Tuesday, 9 December 2008 21:31:57 UTC