for a friends network it could be...
a. because the business wants to filter out minors > required for
legal reasons
b. to plot the site demographic > required for business reasons
c. to help in matching age groups > required for a more productive
use of the site.
I would say that only item a) is a requirement. b) and c) aren't
actually required in order to proceed with one's registration. It
will be nice for the company to have the information, as you say, and
it will add functionality for the user, but I should be able to
register without giving that information.
Obviously the two categories cross over, but the speaker's point is,
a form is something which must be completed correctly or else a
process cannot be completed. Everything else is just
information-gathering, so don't pretend things are "required" when
really they aren't.
I can do nothing but thank someone whose work for ABC Kids Online
provides tired parents a half hour respite here and there
I can't take the credit, but very glad to hear it.
------------------------------------------------------------
"Have You Validated Your Code?"
John Horner (+612 / 02) 8333 3594
Developer, ABC Kids Online http://www.abc.net.au/
------------------------------------------------------------
******************************************************
The discussion list for http://webstandardsgroup.org/
See http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm
for some hints on posting to the list & getting help
******************************************************
