RE: keybind and softkeytype [Fwd: Requests to HTML4.0 draft]

I am very concerned that we are considering adding and changing
attributes in HTML 4.0 at this late date. My assumption is that the spec
was basically closed and we are doing is finalizing and clarifying the
specification. I would prefer that if keybind and accesskey are
syntactically the same, but we retain the accesskey property that was
spec'ed and accepted a very long time ago. There are a large number of
tools (not Microsoft) that have already implemented the accessKey and
there are shipping implementations and therefore pages on the web using
it.

For softkeytype, I would prefer that we address it post HTML 4.0 in a
separate working draft. (same holds true if keybind turns out to be
different)

Thanks,
Scott

> ----------
> From: 	Wayne Campbell[SMTP:twaynec@pacbell.net]
> Sent: 	Thursday, August 21, 1997 12:32 PM
> To: 	www-html@w3.org
> Subject: 	Re: keybind and softkeytype [Fwd: Requests to HTML4.0
> draft]
> 
> >(1) access key
> >The "accesskey" attribute is very similar to our "keybind"
> >attributes.
> >
> >	<A keybind="a" href=....>(a) answer</A>
> >	<A keybind="F1" href=...>Button 1</A>
> >        <A keybind="1" href=....>CH1 TBS</A>
> >
> >We permit special keys F1 - F12 besides the normal ASCII keys.
> 
> There are similarities. OK. What are the differences, and are they
> sufficient to require the addition of an attribute? In other words,
> are the
> differences more in function, or are they more in syntax?
> 
> >(2) softkey type
> >In the keyboard-less Internet appliances, the browser usually
> >uses a software keyboard. In this case, if some input forms
> >accept only numbers, it seems better that a software keyboard
> >for inputing numbers is popped up. We introduced the attribute
> >"softkeytype" to specify the required input type for <input>
> >and <textarea>.
> >
> >	softkeytype="normal"	- Any characters
> >	softkeytype="digit"	- Numbers
> >	softkeytype="hira"	- Hiragana(Japanese)
> >	softkeytype="kata"	- Katakana(Japanese)
> >	softkeytype="upper"	- Upper case
> >	softkeytype="lower"	- Lower case
> 
> This sounds reasonable to me. After all, keyboard-less devices are
> becoming
> the wave of the future (I think).
> 
> >The problem is that more than 20 products using NetFront have been
> >put into the market or are going to be shipped;
> >Internet-TVs(SHARP, Mitsubishi, NTT(JVC), Matsushita), Internet word
> >processors(NEC, SHARP, Fujitsu, CASIO), PDA(Fujitsu, SII), Intranet
> >terminal(EPSON), FA terminal(Okuma), SetTopBoxes(many) and etc.
> >
> >We would be very happy if the name of attribute "keybind" is adopted
> >in HTML4.0, and the attribute "softkeytype" is added to the draft.
> 
> Which would be more difficult to accomplish (in the case of
> accesskey/keybind and if the differences are merely syntactical), to
> add an
> attribute to the spec or to send out a software update for those items
> already shipping that will alter the software to produce the
> appropriate
> attribute?
> 
> By the same token, the additional attribute softkeytype would need to
> be
> added to the spec, since I don't think there is anything already there
> that
> is designed for this use.
> 
> I realize that issuing software updates can be costly (I have _some_
> programming in my background), but the net makes it less costly to
> supply
> such updates to the consumer. If the producer maintains a web-site,
> it's
> not that difficult to make sure that the suppliers are notified about
> the
> update and that their customers have access to the update.
> 
> Just my .02
> 
> Wayne
> 
>                Nick: TWayne or Wayne or WayneC
>               Email: mailto:twaynec@pacbell.net
>           Home Page: http://www.geocities.com/ResearchTriangle/6088/
> VU Study Group Site: http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Forum/8231/
> 
>

Received on Thursday, 21 August 1997 14:57:19 UTC