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RE: Group Opinion: default values in forms

for

From: Paul Bohman
Date: Sep 6, 2002 1:23PM

>>Jeff Rhodes wrote:

>>"In order to meet Level III, I must put default text in any of my
input boxes. This is something that I think isn't really required. ...
What is the general groups feeling on this? "

My response:

I generally agree that this is something that is not required. Several
generations of screen readers and text-only browsers have been able to
handle empty input fields without any problem. The exact wording from
the WAI guidelines is this:

"Until user agents handle empty controls correctly, include default,
place-holding characters in edit boxes and text areas. "

Notice the use of the phrase "until user agents handle empty controls
correctly..." User agents have been able to handle empty controls for
quite some time now. I believe that this is a guideline that is no
longer as useful as it once was. Based on this, it is my opinion that
you could still claim Priority 3 compliance even if you don't put
default text in your form controls (as long as the rest of the document
conforms to the other guidelines, of course!).

Paul Bohman
Technology Coordinator
WebAIM (Web Accessibility in Mind)
www.webaim.org
Center for Persons with Disabilities
www.cpd.usu.edu
Utah State University
www.usu.edu




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