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Re: The buttons verses links debate

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From: deborah.kaplan
Date: Jan 25, 2013 4:05PM

Don Mauck wrote:

> It frustrates me when people code links as buttons because it looks pretty yet I'm assistive technology package doesn't see it as a button.

Agreed. I care less about the purpose (submit info vs. take you somewhere) and more about the look and feel. Depending on browser, voice and keyboard users can need to use different controls to access links and buttons. If it looks like a button but I can't access it like one, I get deeply confused and start renadomly guessing.

Many forms near the bottom have almost identitical appearing button-looking objects (submit/reset, for example), and if they don't act as designed I don't know how to control.

Basically you have a visual designer who says "they should look the same" and a UI designer who says "buttons and links are for different things' and the end result is troublesome.

-Deborah
--
Deborah Kaplan
Accessibility Team co-lead
Dreamwidth Studios, LLC