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Re: Opening new windows

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From: Patrick H. Lauke
Date: Feb 8, 2005 12:07PM

darrel.austin wrote:

> So, what happens to a PDF in the browser is out of your (as the web
> developer) control. They may have a plug-in, they may not. They may have the
> plug-in, but have turned the option to use it off. They may be using a
> browser that doesn't support the plug in. Etc.

Which is exactly the point where I - controversially, for some - say
that the onus is *also* on the user. We can't foresee all possible
options or preferences (both software preferences and "personal taste"
ones). The users need to get to know their particular environment /
software as well.

They need to know that, say, Acrobat's preferences specifically have an
option to enable/disable the opening of documents within the browser
(which causes problems, because AT such as screenreaders can't "get to
the PDF" as they would if it was opened in the full, standalone
application).

Of course, who can tell them how to do it? (e.g. "set your focus on the
link, access the context menu - provided your keyboard has that key next
to the right CTRL - and choose 'save as...'" etc)

Is it the web developer's responsibility to teach users how they should
use their own system? Or is the onus on the software manufacturers to
make those options more obvious? Or the users themselves?

Who bears the responsibility of user education? I'd argue that we, as
developers, can certainly meet the users half-way, but we can't hold
them by the hand for the entire process...

--
Patrick H. Lauke
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