Re: [WSG] Text choices on our own sites

2005-10-30 Thread Samuel Richardson
When I explain to clients why standards are important I bring up the 
following list:


http://www.geminidevelopment.com.au/html/article_whycomplient.php

And explain it to them point by point.

Samuel



Joseph R. B. Taylor wrote:

As a thought, I wanted to point something out.  No one cares about 
standards or accessibility but us.  Its our job to care.


As an example, we can view any of the URLs on this list, and see a 
common thread - we all like to point out that we use standards and 
care about accessibility.


I've noticed that often, our text almost sounds as though we write it 
just in case another group member reads it so we make sure no one 
thinks we suck or something.


You won't find this in any other industry.  Our potential clients want 
to know that we care, but we can never expect them to care about the 
difference between HTML and XHTML and XML, nor should we ever expect 
them to care much about CSS vs. tables for layout.


Our clients don't care as long as it works.  They do care that we care 
enough to make them the best, most accessible site we can, but they 
could care less how.


Just a thought.

Joe Taylor
http://sitesbyjoe.com
**
The discussion list for  http://webstandardsgroup.org/

See http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm
for some hints on posting to the list  getting help
**



**
The discussion list for  http://webstandardsgroup.org/

See http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm
for some hints on posting to the list  getting help
**



RE: [WSG] Text choices on our own sites

2005-10-30 Thread Paul Noone
Thanks, Sam. That was useful. I've been looking for official-looking
third-party confitmation of this description. It's now being printed out and
will be framed and mounted by end of day. :) 

-Original Message-
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
On Behalf Of Samuel Richardson
Sent: Monday, 31 October 2005 10:09 AM
To: wsg@webstandardsgroup.org
Subject: Re: [WSG] Text choices on our own sites

When I explain to clients why standards are important I bring up the
following list:

http://www.geminidevelopment.com.au/html/article_whycomplient.php

And explain it to them point by point.

Samuel



Joseph R. B. Taylor wrote:

 As a thought, I wanted to point something out.  No one cares about 
 standards or accessibility but us.  Its our job to care.

 As an example, we can view any of the URLs on this list, and see a 
 common thread - we all like to point out that we use standards and 
 care about accessibility.

 I've noticed that often, our text almost sounds as though we write it 
 just in case another group member reads it so we make sure no one 
 thinks we suck or something.

 You won't find this in any other industry.  Our potential clients want 
 to know that we care, but we can never expect them to care about the 
 difference between HTML and XHTML and XML, nor should we ever expect 
 them to care much about CSS vs. tables for layout.

 Our clients don't care as long as it works.  They do care that we care 
 enough to make them the best, most accessible site we can, but they 
 could care less how.

 Just a thought.

 Joe Taylor
 http://sitesbyjoe.com
 **
 The discussion list for  http://webstandardsgroup.org/

 See http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm
 for some hints on posting to the list  getting help
 **


**
The discussion list for  http://webstandardsgroup.org/

 See http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm
 for some hints on posting to the list  getting help
**

**
The discussion list for  http://webstandardsgroup.org/

 See http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm
 for some hints on posting to the list  getting help
**



Re: [WSG] Text choices on our own sites

2005-10-30 Thread James Ellis
Hi

Everyone cares about accessibility, both consciously and/or subsconsciously.

I hate this website, I can't find anything on it. I'm going somewhere else - that's someone caring about accessibility.

Cheers
JamesOn 10/31/05, Joseph R. B. Taylor [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
As a thought, I wanted to point something out.No one cares aboutstandards or accessibility but us.Its our job to care.


Re: [WSG] Text choices on our own sites

2005-10-30 Thread Andy Kirkwood | Motive
Hi Joe,

Our clients don't care as long as it works.  They do care that we care enough 
to make them the best, most accessible site we can, but they could care less 
how.

It's more of an issue when a website is maintained by the client. If they're 
not aware of the distinction between accessible and inaccessible markup, 
they'll be unable to preserve the integrity of the content. If they 'don't 
care' in this sense, then they won't take the time to add alt attributes, 
validate code, only use tables for data, etc.

While some CMS's have measures to prevent contributors from unintentionally 
creating inaccessible markup, others happy proclaim standards compliance while 
encouraging/enabling content to be entered inappropriately or incompletely. For 
example, the use of blockquote to achieve a text indent (a 'feature' of a 
number of wysiwyg authoring tools). An informed content author would (of 
course) only use this feature to denote a quotation...

The manufacturing industry provides another example of where standards are 
equally important. Screw threads, washer bores, etc. that are manufactured to a 
particular quality (as in materials or finish) or standard specification (size, 
weight) have a 'home' in the real world.

It all depends on who the client is and what criteria they're using to assess 
potential development partners as to how relevant standards and accessibility 
discussions are. Legal precedents can also carry a bit of weight.

Cheers,

-- 
Andy Kirkwood | Creative Director

Motive | web.design.integrity
http://www.motive.co.nz
ph: (04) 3 800 800  fx: (04) 970 9693
mob: 021 369 693
93 Rintoul St, Newtown
PO Box 7150, Wellington South, New Zealand
**
The discussion list for  http://webstandardsgroup.org/

 See http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm
 for some hints on posting to the list  getting help
**



Re: [WSG] Text choices on our own sites

2005-10-30 Thread Mike Brown

Samuel Richardson wrote:
When I explain to clients why standards are important I bring up the 
following list:


http://www.geminidevelopment.com.au/html/article_whycomplient.php

And explain it to them point by point.


Of course if I was a client, I'd immediately question the compliance of 
the spelling :)


whycomplient

Mike
- unable to resist, even though I do live in a glass house

**
The discussion list for  http://webstandardsgroup.org/

See http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm
for some hints on posting to the list  getting help
**



Re: [WSG] Text choices on our own sites

2005-10-30 Thread Jan Brasna
I don't think it must be neccessarily a common issue. Many agencies I 
know here mostly don't even mention standards or the particular 
technologies, they're just selling greatly usable, effective and 
profitable web solutions to the clients and since they are professionals 
and they care the output is standards-based as an obvious thing.


--
Jan Brasna aka JohnyB :: www.alphanumeric.cz | www.janbrasna.com
**
The discussion list for  http://webstandardsgroup.org/

See http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm
for some hints on posting to the list  getting help
**



RE: [WSG] Text choices on our own sites

2005-10-30 Thread Graham Cook








Hi James,

I would argue that your statement 

 I hate this website, I can't find anything on it. I'm going
somewhere else - that's someone caring about accessibility.

Is someone caring about usability not accessibility.



Whats the difference?

Usability is about being fit for the intended purpose,
accessibility is about being equally available to all demographics,
or as I describe them when I train web accessibility, usability discriminates
against everyone equally, accessibility discriminates against individuals or
specific groups of people.



Graham Cook

www.uaoz.com













From:
[EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of James Ellis
Sent: Monday, 31 October 2005
10:18 AM
To: wsg@webstandardsgroup.org
Subject: Re: [WSG] Text choices on
our own sites





Hi

Everyone cares about accessibility, both consciously and/or subsconsciously.

I hate this website, I can't find anything on it. I'm going somewhere
else - that's someone caring about accessibility.

Cheers
James



On 10/31/05, Joseph
R. B. Taylor [EMAIL PROTECTED]
wrote:

As a thought, I wanted to
point something out.No one cares about
standards or accessibility but us.Its our job to care.












Re: [WSG] Text choices on our own sites

2005-10-30 Thread Samuel Richardson
I make a point of mentioning it in my scopes, if I'm asked about it then 
I iterate the advantages of it but I don't feel the need to really push 
the promotion of it.



Jan Brasna wrote:

I don't think it must be neccessarily a common issue. Many agencies I 
know here mostly don't even mention standards or the particular 
technologies, they're just selling greatly usable, effective and 
profitable web solutions to the clients and since they are 
professionals and they care the output is standards-based as an 
obvious thing.



**
The discussion list for  http://webstandardsgroup.org/

See http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm
for some hints on posting to the list  getting help
**



Re: [WSG] Text choices on our own sites

2005-10-30 Thread Richard Czeiger



Actually James, I think this is 
more a Usability concern rather than an Accessibility concern.
Whatyou might say instead is: 


"I can't view the site on my 
browser and even if I could, the text is samll and I can't change 
it!"
Or 

"Why does this site tell me I need 
to have _javascript_ turned on? How do I even do that?"

R :o)


- Original Message - 
From: James Ellis 

To: wsg@webstandardsgroup.org 
Sent: Monday, October 31, 2005 10:18 AM
Subject: Re: [WSG] Text choices on our own sites
HiEveryone cares about accessibility, both consciously 
and/or subsconsciously."I hate this website, I can't find anything on 
it. I'm going somewhere else" - that's someone caring about 
accessibility.CheersJames
On 10/31/05, Joseph R. B. 
Taylor [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
wrote:
As 
  a thought, I wanted to point something out.No one cares 
  aboutstandards or accessibility but us.Its our job to 
  care.


Re: [WSG] Text choices on our own sites

2005-10-30 Thread Richard Czeiger
I think another part of this is also the fact that web development is moving 
towards being a more respected industry and escaping the 'techno-mysticism' 
that surrounded it in the late 90s when we were all meant to be snowboarding 
designers or propellorheads.
Having standards (and using them!) is a way to make Web Development more of 
a serious industry in the same way that having an industry body (like AIMIA) 
adds to our credibility.


On top of of all that, Jan's absolutely right - we ARE professionals and we 
DO care about providing our clients with the best quality work we can - 
otherwise we'd all create web sites in MS word and export them as HTML. Our 
clients demand that we give them the best product and if they don't then 
it's only becuase they don't know the difference. Thing is, they shop around 
and if one developer mentions standards-compliant design in their proposal 
and another one doesn't then any vaguely intelligent client is going to ask 
the other do YOU write standards-compliant code?


Hopefully, it will not be something to look out for in the future, but 
rather a base practice - like having a license to drive a taxi.
In the meantime, I think it's still a bit of a selling point, if nothing 
else.


R  :o)



- Original Message - 
From: Jan Brasna [EMAIL PROTECTED]

To: wsg@webstandardsgroup.org
Sent: Monday, October 31, 2005 11:01 AM
Subject: Re: [WSG] Text choices on our own sites


I don't think it must be neccessarily a common issue. Many agencies I know 
here mostly don't even mention standards or the particular technologies, 
they're just selling greatly usable, effective and profitable web solutions 
to the clients and since they are professionals and they care the output is 
standards-based as an obvious thing.


--
Jan Brasna aka JohnyB :: www.alphanumeric.cz | www.janbrasna.com
**
The discussion list for  http://webstandardsgroup.org/

See http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm
for some hints on posting to the list  getting help
**





**
The discussion list for  http://webstandardsgroup.org/

See http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm
for some hints on posting to the list  getting help
**



RE: [WSG] Text choices on our own sites

2005-10-30 Thread Paul Noone



You know, you CAN be semantic to a point. Usability is 
directly related to accessibility. If a site's unusable, ot difficult to 
navigate, then it is inaccessible. Nuff said, peeps. Let's get back to some real 
work.


From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Richard 
CzeigerSent: Monday, 31 October 2005 11:30 AMTo: 
wsg@webstandardsgroup.orgSubject: Re: [WSG] Text choices on our own 
sites

Actually James, I think this is 
more a Usability concern rather than an Accessibility concern.
Whatyou might say instead is: 


"I can't view the site on my 
browser and even if I could, the text is samll and I can't change 
it!"
Or 

"Why does this site tell me I need 
to have _javascript_ turned on? How do I even do that?"

R :o)


- Original Message - 
From: James Ellis 

To: wsg@webstandardsgroup.org 
Sent: Monday, October 31, 2005 10:18 AM
Subject: Re: [WSG] Text choices on our own sites
HiEveryone cares about accessibility, both consciously 
and/or subsconsciously."I hate this website, I can't find anything on 
it. I'm going somewhere else" - that's someone caring about 
accessibility.CheersJames
On 10/31/05, Joseph R. B. 
Taylor [EMAIL PROTECTED] 
wrote: 
As 
  a thought, I wanted to point something out.No one cares 
  aboutstandards or accessibility but us.Its our job to 
  care.


Re: [WSG] Text choices on our own sites

2005-10-30 Thread T. R. Valentine
On 30/10/05, Richard Czeiger [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:

 Actually James, I think this is more a Usability concern rather than an
 Accessibility concern.
 What you might say instead is:

 I can't view the site on my browser and even if I could, the text is samll
 and I can't change it!
 Or

 Why does this site tell me I need to have JavaScript turned on? How do I
 even do that?

AFAIK, all browsers have JavaScript turned on by default. If a user
has turned it off, the user certainly ought to know how to undo his
previous action. (If a user has had a friend do it, the user ought to
be able to get the answers from the friend.)

(Disclaimer: I avoid using JavaScript because many people will not use it.)

--
T. R. Valentine
Use a decent browser: Safari, Firefox, Mozilla, Opera
(Avoid IE like the plague it is)
**
The discussion list for  http://webstandardsgroup.org/

 See http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm
 for some hints on posting to the list  getting help
**



Re: [WSG] Text choices on our own sites

2005-10-30 Thread Lea de Groot
On Sun, 30 Oct 2005 19:20:09 -0600, T. R. Valentine wrote:
 AFAIK, all browsers have JavaScript turned on by default. If a user
 has turned it off, the user certainly ought to know how to undo his
 previous action. (If a user has had a friend do it, the user ought to
 be able to get the answers from the friend.)

Not necessarily - corporately, some IT departments will turn off 
Javascript pre-emptively for non-trusted sites.
This does not mean that the user will be aware, or understand, this.
:(

warmly,
Lea
-- 
Lea de Groot
Elysian Systems - http://elysiansystems.com/
Brisbane, Australia
**
The discussion list for  http://webstandardsgroup.org/

 See http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm
 for some hints on posting to the list  getting help
**



Re: [WSG] Text choices on our own sites

2005-10-30 Thread Donna Maurer
Organisations can turn javascript off when installing/configuring then lock the 
browser. 
I've worked in places where this has happened...

Donna

On 30 Oct 2005 at 19:20, T. R. Valentine wrote:

 
 AFAIK, all browsers have JavaScript turned on by default. If a user
 has turned it off, the user certainly ought to know how to undo his
 previous action. (If a user has had a friend do it, the user ought to
 be able to get the answers from the friend.)
 
-- 
Donna Maurer
Maadmob Interaction Design

e: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
work:   http://maadmob.com.au/
blog:   http://maadmob.net/donna/blog/
AOL IM: maadmob


**
The discussion list for  http://webstandardsgroup.org/

 See http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm
 for some hints on posting to the list  getting help
**



Re: [WSG] Text choices on our own sites

2005-10-30 Thread Richard Czeiger
Also - the Nokia browser on my phone doesn't support JavaScript. And even if 
it did, where the heck would I change the settings?


Device independence is a big part of Accessibility, IMHO.

R  :o)


- Original Message - 
From: Donna Maurer [EMAIL PROTECTED]

To: wsg@webstandardsgroup.org
Sent: Monday, October 31, 2005 12:37 PM
Subject: Re: [WSG] Text choices on our own sites


Organisations can turn javascript off when installing/configuring then 
lock the browser.

I've worked in places where this has happened...

Donna

On 30 Oct 2005 at 19:20, T. R. Valentine wrote:



AFAIK, all browsers have JavaScript turned on by default. If a user
has turned it off, the user certainly ought to know how to undo his
previous action. (If a user has had a friend do it, the user ought to
be able to get the answers from the friend.)


--
Donna Maurer
Maadmob Interaction Design

e: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
work: http://maadmob.com.au/
blog: http://maadmob.net/donna/blog/
AOL IM: maadmob


**
The discussion list for  http://webstandardsgroup.org/

See http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm
for some hints on posting to the list  getting help
**





**
The discussion list for  http://webstandardsgroup.org/

See http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm
for some hints on posting to the list  getting help
**



Re: [WSG] Text choices on our own sites

2005-10-30 Thread Richard Czeiger
I think it's important to NOT expect users to know how to do this or even be 
vaguely technically literate.
Doctors, for example, shouldn't have to be IT experts. They fix people not 
machines. It's simply not their job or responsibility to be forced to learn 
the HUGE amount of stuff that as developers we've crammed into our head. 
This doesn't mean they should be penaliseed and not allowed to see web sites 
or interact as freely on the web as the rest of us.


Isn't that part of the point of accessibility?
R


- Original Message - 
From: Lea de Groot [EMAIL PROTECTED]

Subject: Re: [WSG] Text choices on our own sites



Not necessarily - corporately, some IT departments will turn off
Javascript pre-emptively for non-trusted sites.
This does not mean that the user will be aware, or understand, this.
:(

warmly,
Lea



**
The discussion list for  http://webstandardsgroup.org/

See http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm
for some hints on posting to the list  getting help
**



Re: [WSG] Text choices on our own sites

2005-10-30 Thread Andy Kirkwood | Motive
Hi Richard,

To play the devil's advocate...

Certainly humanist developers aim to remove the barriers that technology might 
place between users and content. However, difficulty arises when determining 
what constitutes 'technical' literacy. This could range from 'What's a link' 
through to 'How do I increase/decrease text size'. Even many of the 'hooks' put 
into content markup to make it more accessible are not used by a screen reader 
unless the user customises the behaviour of the software (reading title 
attributes for one).

The issue of determining prior (technical) knowledge is one of those bug-bears 
like browser statistics. Even though we'd like to, it's problematic to 
generalise. On the other hand, adding an introduction to every webpage on how 
to use the web is equally untenable.

Incidentally, does anyone know of a formal public-school curriculum that covers 
using the web? Such a document/documents might provide an insight as to how we 
(as in society-at-large) currently qualify 'technical literacy'.

I think it's important to NOT expect users to know how to do this or even be 
vaguely technically literate.
Doctors, for example, shouldn't have to be IT experts. They fix people not 
machines. It's simply not their job or responsibility to be forced to learn 
the HUGE amount of stuff that as developers we've crammed into our head. This 
doesn't mean they should be penaliseed and not allowed to see web sites or 
interact as freely on the web as the rest of us.

-- 
Andy Kirkwood | Creative Director

Motive | web.design.integrity
http://www.motive.co.nz
ph: (04) 3 800 800  fx: (04) 970 9693
mob: 021 369 693
93 Rintoul St, Newtown
PO Box 7150, Wellington South, New Zealand
**
The discussion list for  http://webstandardsgroup.org/

 See http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm
 for some hints on posting to the list  getting help
**



Re: [WSG] Text choices on our own sites

2005-10-30 Thread Richard Czeiger

Good point, Andy.

However, I think there actually *is* a benchmark we can use as a guide to 
work from in terms of the user's technical ability. I'd start by looking at 
'default behaviour'. The ability to operate a machine/software using ONLY 
its default settings.


For the web, this would be a level above What is a Link and below 'How do 
I increase/decrease text size.


Assuming users know what's on the context menu is above the scope of this 
(that's why so many sites put instructions like right-click and select 
'save target as'  in their pages). Assuming the User knows how to clear 
their cache or set their Home Page is also above this level, as this 
requires the user to go into the 'options' available for the software. The 
second they start to get 'under the hood' of the software is when they start 
to become more advanced.


You're example of screen readers' users setting the Title attribute is not 
so much a fault in page design or standards but rather (at best) a 
mis-calculation by the software developers on the importance of one of their 
features or (at worst) a dramatic over-site in terms of standards support by 
the software developers.


Hope I'm making sense, here and I know it's a slippery slope, but hey ...
That's why they pay us the big bucks, right?

.. Right?

Anyone?

R   :oP


- Original Message - 
From: Andy Kirkwood | Motive [EMAIL PROTECTED]

To: wsg@webstandardsgroup.org
Sent: Monday, October 31, 2005 2:00 PM
Subject: Re: [WSG] Text choices on our own sites



Hi Richard,

To play the devil's advocate...

Certainly humanist developers aim to remove the barriers that technology 
might place between users and content. However, difficulty arises when 
determining what constitutes 'technical' literacy. This could range from 
'What's a link' through to 'How do I increase/decrease text size'. Even 
many of the 'hooks' put into content markup to make it more accessible are 
not used by a screen reader unless the user customises the behaviour of 
the software (reading title attributes for one).


The issue of determining prior (technical) knowledge is one of those 
bug-bears like browser statistics. Even though we'd like to, it's 
problematic to generalise. On the other hand, adding an introduction to 
every webpage on how to use the web is equally untenable.


Incidentally, does anyone know of a formal public-school curriculum that 
covers using the web? Such a document/documents might provide an insight 
as to how we (as in society-at-large) currently qualify 'technical 
literacy'.


I think it's important to NOT expect users to know how to do this or even 
be vaguely technically literate.
Doctors, for example, shouldn't have to be IT experts. They fix people not 
machines. It's simply not their job or responsibility to be forced to 
learn the HUGE amount of stuff that as developers we've crammed into our 
head. This doesn't mean they should be penaliseed and not allowed to see 
web sites or interact as freely on the web as the rest of us.


--
Andy Kirkwood | Creative Director

Motive | web.design.integrity
http://www.motive.co.nz
ph: (04) 3 800 800  fx: (04) 970 9693
mob: 021 369 693
93 Rintoul St, Newtown
PO Box 7150, Wellington South, New Zealand
**
The discussion list for  http://webstandardsgroup.org/

See http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm
for some hints on posting to the list  getting help
**





**
The discussion list for  http://webstandardsgroup.org/

See http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm
for some hints on posting to the list  getting help
**



Re: [WSG] Text choices on our own sites

2005-10-30 Thread Tim Smith
Quoting Andy Kirkwood | Motive [EMAIL PROTECTED]:

 Certainly humanist developers aim to remove the barriers that technology
 might place between users and content...

Humanism has nothing to do with this - what if you're a Buddhist developer?

Seriously, in a valid attempt to create a profession, let's not obscure 'making
websites available to the majority of clients at whom those sites are aimed' by
dropping in inappropriate terms.

However, difficulty arises when determining what constitutes 'technical'
literacy

Wood for the trees stuff. Forget technical 'literacy' (the literacy element
being key) concentrate on what your market requires.

Example (A) A site designed for graphic designers will benefit from useful Flash
elements that are viewable on Macintoshes.

Example (B) A site designed for General Practitioners seeking advice on the
latest anti-biotic requires IE functionality with fast return on text searches
via good database support.

Example (C) A site designed for 'yoof' orientated marketing will benefit from
audio in downloadable MP3 format, streamable video; multiple entry points,
fast, auditable add-banner serving, forums and e-commerce functionality.

Example (D) A site designed for web developers will benefit from areas specific
to different browsers, server technologies, scripting languages and other
heavily geekoid stuff.

There is no one magic bullet to destroy all possible flaws. Nor is there a
panacea to please all users. Accessibility/usability is specific to the target
audience of the site that you are designing.

Let's not lose the main focus here by attempting to create a web-dev equivalent
of the Grand Unifying Theory. Diversity is also important when appropriate.

Of course, IMHO...

Tim
Sub-Marxian Historical Materialist Developer :-)
**
The discussion list for  http://webstandardsgroup.org/

 See http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm
 for some hints on posting to the list  getting help
**



RE: [WSG] Text choices on our own sites

2005-10-30 Thread Craig Rippon
 where is that damn unsubscribe button! 

-Original Message-
From: Tim Smith [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] 
Sent: Monday, 31 October 2005 1:49 PM
To: wsg@webstandardsgroup.org
Subject: Re: [WSG] Text choices on our own sites

Quoting Andy Kirkwood | Motive [EMAIL PROTECTED]:

 Certainly humanist developers aim to remove the barriers that 
 technology might place between users and content...

Humanism has nothing to do with this - what if you're a Buddhist developer?

Seriously, in a valid attempt to create a profession, let's not obscure
'making websites available to the majority of clients at whom those sites
are aimed' by dropping in inappropriate terms.

However, difficulty arises when determining what constitutes 'technical'
literacy

Wood for the trees stuff. Forget technical 'literacy' (the literacy element
being key) concentrate on what your market requires.

Example (A) A site designed for graphic designers will benefit from useful
Flash elements that are viewable on Macintoshes.

Example (B) A site designed for General Practitioners seeking advice on the
latest anti-biotic requires IE functionality with fast return on text
searches via good database support.

Example (C) A site designed for 'yoof' orientated marketing will benefit
from audio in downloadable MP3 format, streamable video; multiple entry
points, fast, auditable add-banner serving, forums and e-commerce
functionality.

Example (D) A site designed for web developers will benefit from areas
specific to different browsers, server technologies, scripting languages and
other heavily geekoid stuff.

There is no one magic bullet to destroy all possible flaws. Nor is there a
panacea to please all users. Accessibility/usability is specific to the
target audience of the site that you are designing.

Let's not lose the main focus here by attempting to create a web-dev
equivalent of the Grand Unifying Theory. Diversity is also important when
appropriate.

Of course, IMHO...

Tim
Sub-Marxian Historical Materialist Developer :-)
**
The discussion list for  http://webstandardsgroup.org/

 See http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm
 for some hints on posting to the list  getting help
**





**
The discussion list for  http://webstandardsgroup.org/

 See http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm
 for some hints on posting to the list  getting help
**



Re: [WSG] Text choices on our own sites

2005-10-30 Thread Zulema

Craig Rippon wrote:
where is that damn unsubscribe button!

URI: http://webstandardsgroup.org/

you'll need to log in with your email and pwd and click the unsubscribe link... 
and shame on you for swearing. :-)

also, to the list moms, should there be a link directly to the unsubscribe section in the WSG email footer? it would probably need a log in form b/f giving you the unsubscribe button of course.  ;) 


ciao,
Z
--
Zulema Ortiz
web designer
email : [EMAIL PROTECTED]
website : http://zoblue.com/
weblog : http://blog.zoblue.com/
browser : http://getfirefox.com/ 




**
The discussion list for  http://webstandardsgroup.org/

See http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm
for some hints on posting to the list  getting help
**



Re: [WSG] Text choices on our own sites

2005-10-30 Thread Joshua Street
On 10/31/05, Zulema [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
 also, to the list moms, should there be a link directly to the unsubscribe 
 section in the WSG email footer? it would probably need a log in form b/f 
 giving you the unsubscribe button of course.  ;)

Most lists have an [EMAIL PROTECTED] address you
can send a blank message to unsubscribe to. Maybe that would suffice
for the footer, if such a thing is possible with whatever software the
listserv is using?

--
Joshua Street

http://www.joahua.com/
+61 (0) 425 808 469
**
The discussion list for  http://webstandardsgroup.org/

 See http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm
 for some hints on posting to the list  getting help
**



Re: [WSG] Text choices on our own sites

2005-10-30 Thread Mark Harris

Richard Czeiger wrote:


Hope I'm making sense, here and I know it's a slippery slope, but hey ...
That's why they pay us the big bucks, right?

.. Right?

Anyone?



You make money at this???

What a concept!!

;-)

mark
**
The discussion list for  http://webstandardsgroup.org/

See http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm
for some hints on posting to the list  getting help
**



Re: [WSG] Text choices on our own sites

2005-10-30 Thread Christian Montoya

  Hope I'm making sense, here and I know it's a slippery slope, but hey ...
  That's why they pay us the big bucks, right?
 
  .. Right?
 
  Anyone?
 
 
 You make money at this???

 What a concept!!

 ;-)


That's true... I want in on these big bucks :-)

--
--
C Montoya
rdpdesign.com ... liquid.rdpdesign.com ... montoya.rdpdesign.com
**
The discussion list for  http://webstandardsgroup.org/

 See http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm
 for some hints on posting to the list  getting help
**