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Re: lookingfor html techniqueto provide a methodto skiprepetitivenavigation linksi

for

From: smithj7
Date: Oct 13, 2006 12:30AM

Penny your are right that different folks use the web differently even folks
that use speech. I have a friend is a great JAWS users and never uses
Header features except on pages like EmpowermentZone where the page is
almost all links (with headers).
----- Original Message -----
From: "Penny Roberts" < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
To: "WebAIM Discussion List" < <EMAIL REMOVED> >
Sent: Thursday, October 12, 2006 8:24 AM
Subject: Re: [WebAIM] looking for html techniqueto provide a methodto
skiprepetitive navigation linksi


> Patrick Lauke wrote:
>>> Penny Roberts
>>
>>> Like I said before my argument is about usability rather than
>>> accessibilty. I don't think that we have the right to
>>> dictate (to such
>>> an extent) *how* people use the web. Why should users be
>>> forced to use
>>> a keyboard or browser shortcut?
>>
>> Why should a web page (aimed at delivering *content*) replicate
>> functionality that is best handled from the browser's point of view?
>> Skip links may be an edge case, as some browsers still don't offer
>> good built-in functionality), but this same rationale applies to
>> things like "increase/decrease text size" "print this page",
>> "bookmark this page", "add to favourites", javascript based "back"
>> buttons,
>> and all similar "helpers/widgets".
>
>
> The same rationale does indeed apply (and we've had the same discussion
> about several of them).
>
> > From a usability point of view you
> > might say "oh, we're just making it more usable for users who don't know
> > about their tools' functionality",
>
>
> It's more than just users not knowing their tools. I'm not denying that
> that is a major issue; but I don't think that it is the only issue. I
> think it depends how your brain is hardwired. I'll use my example of
> the methods people use to copy text: I get frustrated when
> colleagues/family/friends use menu> edit> copy because it seems to take
> such a loooong time. Sometimes I get so wound up about it that I end up
> asking why they do it that way. Most do know about the other methods:
> to them using the menu is logical, to me the menu is tedious, ctrl-c is
> awkward and right-click is natural.
>
> but I'd argue that this is a
> > shortsighted solution as it does not address the fundamental problem.
> > In fact, the more sites implement those widgets, the less likely users
> > will be to learn the functionality that their browsers actually offer,
> > and the more at a loss they will be once they move from one site to
> another
> > which doesn't offer those widgets.
>
> I understand your point entirely and I agree that users get upset when a
> site doesn't have their favourite widget. (Here at the library it is
> the print icon that users want. They are nonplussed and sometimes
> outraged if they have to use the browser's print button because most
> databases come with a set of "e-mail, export or print" options for
> search results.)
>
>> But, getting back to the point, this would be: it is my personal
>> preference
>> to use a browser that offers me only limited navigation aids...so I
>> expect
>> the web *content* developer to accommodate for my preference by
>> replicating
>> the missing functionality in their pages?
>
>
> Not quite: it is my preference not to use the browser's navigation aids
> because they do not feel natural/intuitive.
>
>
> so I expect
> > the web *content* developer to accommodate for my preference by
> replicating
> > the missing functionality in their pages?
>
> I see it as offering an easier to use functionality (though I have to
> admit that the only one that I have ever put on a page is "skip link").
>
>
>>> (Can I get down of my soap box now?)
>>
>> Sorry, not yet...
>
> OK, I'm still up here. We're never going to agree on this one are we?
>
> Penny
>
>
>
>