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Re: complex layout tables

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From: Olaf Drümmer
Date: Jan 29, 2014 1:31PM

On 29 Jan 2014, at 21:04, "Patrick H. Lauke" < <EMAIL REMOVED> > wrote:

> You're comically blowing this out of proportion...but ok, I'll bite once more: what do I do? Nothing. But if they come on an accessibility mailing list and ask what's wrong with using tables for layout, I'll tell them.

comical or not - this is linked to the subject of this thread, complex layout tables.

My interest is in reaching a state in the foreseeable future where content, that currently by some people is organised as a layout table, becomes accessible to as many users as possible.

Getting there can in principle be achieved in a couple of ways, for example
- do not use layout tables
- find ways to make layout tables work in a fashion such that consuming them becomes accessible

Technically speaking I believe it is correct to state that both can work / can be made to work. HTML5 discourage use of layout tables, but offers guidance (use role = 'presentation') how to use them if you feel you must use them. Based on writing mode in effect, it can be derived in which order to present the cells' contents.

But I am not (only/primarily) interested in theoretical correctness or technical feasibility, I am also interested in the likelihood and degree that something will actually happen - as my goal is to make such content accessible to widest range of users. Thus the question should be allowed, that while theoretically layout tables are not a good use of the table concept, whether it wouldn't be a good idea to accept their use anyway, and to come up with an approach how they can be put to work in an accessible fashion.

Olaf