some accessibility/usability problems with bugzilla

aloha!

a while ago, the HTML Accessibility Task Force list was asked, "what 
are some of the accessiblity problems with bugzilla" -- here are a few 
to start:

1. no headers on pages to organize / give structure to content;

2. use of TABLE to control layout; 

3. bug submission interface particularly bad:

3.1. comboboxes set to fire onChange events which lack explicit 
submission mechanisms;

3.2. when selecting a component the dynamically updated "Component
Description" lacks an ARIA live-region, so the description is not 
communicated to, for example, a screen reader user.

3.3. the FORM is embedded in a TABLE -- this means that i as a speech
user need to use TABLE-mode to navigate the table, tnen drop into 
(mutually exclusive) forms-mode to interact with the forms;

4. overall, the bugzilla interface could use an overhaul or at least
the addition of some serious ARIA markup;

those are MERELY the "brightest of the lowlights" of bugzilla -- i'm 
sure there are others who will chime in on bugzilla's weaknesses,

gregory.
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CYNIC, n. A blackguard whose faulty vision sees things as they are, 
not as they ought to be. Hence the custom among the Scythians of 
plucking out a cynic's eyes to improve his vision.
                         -- Ambrose Bierce, The Devil's Dictionary
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          Gregory J. Rosmaita, oedipus@hicom.net
UBATS - United Blind Advocates for Talking Signs: http://ubats.org/
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Received on Wednesday, 28 July 2010 21:27:51 UTC