Javascript Accessibility Techniques

**Dr John Stockton** · Jul 23 '05, 11:32 AM

Re: Javascript Accessibility Techniques

JRS: In article <40cb74f0.17454 7355@news.indiv idual.net>, seen in
news:comp.lang. javascript, Jim Ley <jim@jibbering. com> posted at Sat, 12
Jun 2004 21:49:38 :
[color=blue]
>The WAI (Web Accessibility Initiative) folk in the W3 are looking to
>get a good script techniques document, and are obviously looking for
>help.[/color]

ISTM that the most important thing is never to use a new feature unless
it is truly necessary or adds greatly to the value of the page.

I wanted to check for a new version of TIDY, for Win98 console mode.

Consider http://tidy.sourceforge.net/ - that page is technically
satisfactory to me and simple in layout, though redesign advice from
someone more literate than technical could help (and it breaks ISO8601).
The page contains two mentions of Windows 98, in links.

At least one of them, probably that to htmltrim, loads a "choose where
from" page of moderately decorated aspect; but on (the only) two
occasions that I tried it, my browser crashed. On the first occasion,
all browser windows were lost, but Win98 and the Net connection
continued. On the second, IE appeared to be loop-crashing in the crash-
report code; hard reset time.

This represents what must be the nadir of accessibility. The offending
page in fact needed nothing but the plainest HTML - it really needed
only <p> or <br> and <a href= ... </a>.

It's not the only case of a "checking-related" site crashing the
browser, as you may recall.

Granted that, before the crash, I did have time to see the nature of the
page; but it cannot count as being practically accessible to me.

CAVEAT : for obvious reasons, I only tried it twice.

[color=blue]
> Work wouldn't be onerous, and even if you could
>just lurk on the mailing list you would be of some value, so if anyone
>does have some spare time, please let Matt know.[/color]

W3 appear to communicate only by published mailing list; I find this an
unacceptable deterrent. There should be a means of direct communication
with the author responsible for each page, in which correspondents'
copyright was respected.

So if you see Matt again ...

--
© John Stockton, Surrey, UK. ?@merlyn.demon. co.uk Turnpike v4.00 IE 4 ©
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**Jim Ley** · Jul 23 '05, 11:32 AM

Re: Javascript Accessibility Techniques

On Sun, 13 Jun 2004 13:49:27 +0100, Dr John Stockton
<spam@merlyn.de mon.co.uk> wrote:[color=blue]
>This represents what must be the nadir of accessibility. The offending
>page in fact needed nothing but the plainest HTML - it really needed
>only <p> or <br> and <a href= ... </a>.[/color]

Some thing[color=blue]
>W3 appear to communicate only by published mailing list; I find this an
>unacceptable deterrent. There should be a means of direct communication
>with the author responsible for each page, in which correspondents'
>copyright was respected.[/color]

Err, no, they use email, teleconferences , IRC and F2F meetings, it's
not difficult to find an appropriate method.

The majoriry of WAI groups do work in the open, but if you wish to
discuss something specific in private, the documents and groups all
publish their email addresses alongside the spec.

When you post to the W3 mailing lists, you also have to register your
acceptance of the archive policy before it is archived.

Jim.
--
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Javascript Accessibility Techniques

Javascript Accessibility Techniques

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