WebAIM - Web Accessibility In Mind

E-mail List Archives

RE: Web accessibility: The Text-only Revolution

for

From: Jason Taylor-UsableNet
Date: Dec 5, 2003 1:20PM

I wanted to add a response to this thread.

I want to make sure you had as many technical details as possible in order
to give it a "fair crack of the whip" as they say. We have created some
detail to help people understand how the solution can fit into their
strategy at: http://www.usablenet.com/accessibility_usability/textonly.html

We do not promote the text-only as a one-stop-shop solution but do disagree
in particular with the argument that text-only pages are some type of back
door. Offering a text-only option (in addition to anything else) means
giving to the web visitor more flexibility. Regardless whether she or he is
disabled or uses disabling technology, a well done text-only website is an
improvement in terms of usability.

In fact, too often disabled people tend not to use text-only links because
their past experiences taught them that these pages were out of date and/or
missed some important content/functionality. NOT because they were labeled
as "text-only".

Please read about this solution more, it has already and will continue to
open up more content to assistive users.

Regards
Jason Taylor
<EMAIL REMOVED>
+1 (212) 965 5388



----
To subscribe, unsubscribe, suspend, or view list archives,
visit http://www.webaim.org/discussion/