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Re: Links vs. Buttons

for

From: Don Mauck
Date: Jun 4, 2012 3:17PM


Sorry for any mis-spelled words in the previous post, didn't have my spell checker on.

-----Original Message-----
From: Don Mauck
Sent: Monday, June 04, 2012 3:15 PM
To: WebAIM Discussion List
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Links vs. Buttons

I disagree, it always frustrates me when developers think that because they want it to look like a button but still want it to be a link they mix and match. If it is an action item such as a save, close, submit ETC. those ought to be buttons. If you are being taken somewhere even if it's on the same page, then that should be links. The problem is always that when talking to support folks they will always say click on the "save" button, then the user of a screen reading program looks for the button and "dang," it's not a button after all. At the end of the day, if it's a button, make it a button. If it's a link make it a link and call it such.

-----Original Message-----
From: Heidi Jungel [mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> ]
Sent: Monday, June 04, 2012 3:11 PM
To: WebAIM Discussion List
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] Links vs. Buttons

Thank you so much for your input. So, what you are saying is that if there is a "close" option, you would prefer this be a link even though it goes nowhere?

In other words, you would prefer this:
<a href="#"...>Close</a>
over this:
<button value="Close"©.>

Does anyone think that having the first would add to confusion? I am a low vision developer who uses screen readers on occasion (when needed).
However, I have some vision, so perhaps my preference on a button is due to the vision I have.

Thoughts?

Heidi Jungel, UI Developer
Apollo Group | Product Strategy & Development

Email: <EMAIL REMOVED> <mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> > |
Skype: hjungel

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On 6/4/12 10:38 AM, "Jesse Hausler" < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:

>
>I would ask for buttons on form submissions, but beyond that I'll take
>a link over a clickable <div> any day of the week :)
>
>
>On 6/4/12 8:15 AM, "Heidi Jungel" < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:
>
>Good Morning/Afternoon
>
>I could not find anything in our archives related to this. We have a
>discussion in my organization regarding links.
>I find that many sites abuse the use of links and use links for
>everything- even button type action. I have often used the following
>quote:
>
>"Links are for navigation (I.e. To another section of a page or another
>page). Buttons are for actions"
>
>However, I am a getting a bit of a push back on this. What are your
>thoughts on this? Are sites abusing links? Does using a button hinder
>the virtual cursor on screen readers (I have not seen this being a
>problem in JAWS 12)?
>
>We are just trying to get a guideline set for this for our developers.
>>Heidi Jungel, UI Developer
>Apollo Group | Product Strategy & Development
>Email: <EMAIL REMOVED> <mailto: <EMAIL REMOVED> > |
>Skype: hjungel
>
>Please consider the environment before printing this email.
>
>>This message is private and confidential. If you have received it in
>error, please notify the sender and remove it from your system.
>
>>>messages to <EMAIL REMOVED>
>
>


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