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Re: Summary and datatables?

for

From: Jukka K. Korpela
Date: Sep 16, 2013 11:24AM

2013-09-16 20:10, Karl Groves wrote:

> I'd say that whatever tool you're using is a bit overly conservative in
> this case.

Or maybe just pointless? The summary attribute never had much support,
it was a wrong idea from the beginning, and it is being phased out as
obsolete in HTML5.

> A table summary is useful when the table is complex enough and the context
> of use is such that an explanation of the table would be useful.

In such cases, the odds are that an explanation would also be needed by
the 99.9% of users who never see the summary attribute value.

> The summary attribute is only useful for users of screenreaders, which is
> unfortunate.

Make that "only useful for users of some screen readers, which is what
was to be expected".

> Some would argue that if a table is complex enough that it
> requires explaining, then the contents of summary attribute should be
> displayed visually for the benefit of all.

Make that "It is evident that if the table is complex enough to require
explaining, then the explanation should simply be given in the page
content that is accessible to all (or the table should be restructured)".

> In any case, not using a summary is certainly not a failure of 1.3.1, IMO,
> especially if it is either unwarranted or the table is summarized elsewhere.

Well, right, except that the summary attribute was not really supposed
to contain a summary, contrary to the name. Rather, some explanations
about purpose, structure, etc. (i.e., a legend, more or less). The
obscurity started with the name of the attribute.

Yucca