- From: Patrick H. Lauke <redux@splintered.co.uk>
- Date: Sat, 12 May 2007 18:57:35 +0100
- To: www-html@w3.org
Lachlan Hunt wrote: > I don't think omitting headers attributes should be considered an error. > There should be a well defined algorithm that covers the vast majority > of cases reliably without explicit association. Fine, whatever. >> However, if id/headers etc are detected, do NOT attempt to override >> them via heuristics, as this is what some AT currently does and it >> completely undermines any effort by conscientious authors. > > Assuming the headers attributes refer to ids of cells within the table, > that's fine. But the algorithm should handle references to bogus ids or > ids that aren't cells within the same table. Then that falls under repair/error correction. > It would be really helpful if some real world example tables, which > either already use, or would benefit from the use of, headers > attributes, could be presented as evidence to support your case. We can > then evaluate whether or not headers attributes really are needed, or if > those cases could be handled with a better algorithm. Because there are infinite variations of complex tables, I think no algorithm CAN be constructed that copes with all cases. I'd throw this back at you and say: can you provide evidence of an algorithm that can handle all possible cases of complex tables? Even if I gather 100 complex tables, and you could suggest an algorithm to handle those, you can rest assured that there will be the 101st case that breaks the mold. > I have one example that I built early last year for a project I was > working on. Although I don't believe the site ever actually launched (I > think they went out of business or something), I've published an example > of one of the tables. > > http://lachy.id.au/dev/2007/table-headers Not seen that sort of thing in the wild (as even to a sighted user this isn't immediately obvious), but yes that could be one case. -- Patrick H. Lauke ______________________________________________________________ re·dux (adj.): brought back; returned. used postpositively [latin : re-, re- + dux, leader; see duke.] www.splintered.co.uk | www.photographia.co.uk http://redux.deviantart.com ______________________________________________________________ Co-lead, Web Standards Project (WaSP) Accessibility Task Force http://webstandards.org/ ______________________________________________________________ Take it to the streets ... join the WaSP Street Team http://streetteam.webstandards.org/ ______________________________________________________________
Received on Saturday, 12 May 2007 17:57:46 UTC