- From: David Poehlman <david.poehlman@handsontechnologeyes.com>
- Date: Tue, 7 Jul 2009 14:59:08 -0400
- To: Ian Hickson <ian@hixie.ch>
- Cc: Joshue O Connor <joshue.oconnor@cfit.ie>, Henri Sivonen <hsivonen@iki.fi>, Jim Jewett <jimjjewett@gmail.com>, Laura Carlson <laura.lee.carlson@gmail.com>, Janina Sajka <janina@rednote.net>, Sam Ruby <rubys@intertwingly.net>, Michael Cooper <cooper@w3.org>, W3C WAI Protocols & Formats <w3c-wai-pf@w3.org>, Gez Lemon <gez.lemon@gmail.com>, "wai-liaison@w3.org" <wai-liaison@w3.org>, John Foliot <jfoliot@stanford.edu>, www-archive <www-archive@w3.org>, HTML WG Public List <public-html@w3.org>
or we could help@summary do what it is supposed to do because it is the only means of effectively carrying out its task. On Jul 7, 2009, at 2:54 PM, Ian Hickson wrote: On Tue, 7 Jul 2009, Joshue O Connor wrote: >> >> I think this anecdotal case study supports the notion that @summary >> isn't actually used as prescribed--not even by experts. > > You could take that view, but it doesn't progress the argument. The > point is moot. The point is that we need solutions that aren't just capable _in theory_ of solving the problem; we need solutions that _in practice_ actually solve the problem. Time and time again, it is shown that summary="" isn't able to solve the problem *even when the authors truly want to solve it*. In the two or so years that we've been having this discussion, I think I can count the examples of good summary="" text that have been brought forward and actually are good summary=""s on the fingers of one hand. This makes even longdesc="" look positively useful. We need a better solution. The summary="" attribute is harming the cause of accessibility by leading people astray, letting people think they are solving a problem they are not solving. Continuing to make it conforming when we have half a dozen better suggestions already in HTML5 is not helping the blind or other AT users. -- Ian Hickson U+1047E )\._.,--....,'``. fL http://ln.hixie.ch/ U+263A /, _.. \ _\ ;`._ ,. Things that are impossible just take longer. `._.-(,_..'--(,_..'`-.;.'
Received on Tuesday, 7 July 2009 18:59:52 UTC