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Re: Standards question

for

From: Keith Parks
Date: Sep 16, 2009 3:00PM

On Sep 15, 2009, at 2:42 PM, Jukka K. Korpela wrote:

> You should aim at being accessible to different people, not at
> meeting some
> "standards" and making that easy.

On Sep 15, 2009, at 3:05 PM, Jared Smith wrote:

> I agree with Jukka - focus on accessibility, not just compliance.
> [snip...]

> So if your intention is simply to meet these guidelines [snip...]

I think that this kind of answer is, while not disingenuous, at least
impractical.

In others words, "Easy for *you* to say." ;^)

There are many of us on this list (and of course many, many, many more
not on the list) who are not accessibility experts, nor should we be.
That's what "standards" are for.

My intent is irrelevant in this regard. Hopefully, it is the intent of
the standards and guidelines to assure accessible content. Then I, as
a developer, can just design to the standards, . So yes, that is my
goal, to "simply meet the guidelines". Those standards are created and
updated by people who are (I assume) much more knowledgeable than I.
If meeting those standards doesn't guarantee accessibility, then
either smarter people need to be writing the standards, or else maybe
it's just not possible.

But it seems to me that the run of the mill, "in the trenches"
developer shouldn't have to worry about that. The "experts" should
have their act together, and yes, make it "easy" for us. Just tell all
the rest of us "Follow these guidelines and you'll be doing OK."

Is that too much to ask for?

******************************
Keith Parks
Graphic Designer/Web Designer
Student Affairs Communications Services
San Diego State University
San Diego, CA 92182-7444
(619) 594-1046
mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED>
http://www.sa.sdsu.edu/communications

http://kparks.deviantart.com/gallery
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Putting the "no" in "Innovation" since 1988.