New OBJECT/EMBED/APPLET parameter?

Web developers need options when surfers refuse Plug-ins/ActiveX/Java/Etc. 
I would like to add these capabilities to my web site without the cost of
losing potential visitors.  My personal situation is Macromedia Flash.  NS
users have to download/install plug-in.  IE users are forced with
auto-installs.

I can work around the issue in NS using JavaScript (which sometimes fails),
but no workaround exists for IE.  It would be much simpler if the
OBJECT/EMBED/APPLET tags allowed for the surfer whom -
    a. does not want the plug-in or to be bothered with download/install.
    b. will not wait for the plug-in to load to see your page (leaves
immediately).

If there was a parameter which indicated whether the content was required
for the page, web designers could add these features without
inconveniencing visitors.

Example:

<OBJECT REQUIRED="FALSE">
Fallback here if user does not have the required ActiveX object rather 
than forcing them install or leave.  I can include text here on how to get
ActiveX if they are willing.
</OBJECT>

<EMBED REQUIRED="FALSE">
<NOEMBED>
Fallback here if user does not have the plug-in.  I can include text here 
on how to get the plug-in if they are willing.
</NOEMBED>

<APPLET REQUIRED="FALSE">
User has JAVA turned off - This is just for consistency... I know that JAVA
turned off will
already get you here.  JAVA, however, is built into the browsers and does
not require
installation.
</APPLET>

REQUIRED="TRUE" or the absence of the REQUIRED tag could mean the current
mechanism employed by NS and IE which required the user to get the new
capability.

This would sure help HTML'ers.  Not having to "program" web pages with
Scripts/ASP/CGI/Whatever would make all the difference in the world.


Sincerely,

Patrick.Meyer@msfc.nasa.gov

Received on Saturday, 2 August 1997 16:21:21 UTC