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Re: Word viewer

for

From: Jukka K. Korpela
Date: Nov 16, 2006 1:40AM

On Wed, 15 Nov 2006, Cheryl Amato wrote:

> I am currently evaluating a website for accessibility and am wondering
> exactly how to handle Word documents.

They should be converted into accessible HTML format. Perhaps this is not
(economically) _feasible_, but it shouldn't be called _impossible_. It is
a policy decision, and the most important accessibility policy decision
with respect to such documents. All the rest is really peanuts.

> If a web page is linked to a Word
> document I realize you must notify the user

Indeed, and in an explicit way, e.g. "(MS Word document)" after the link.
Using an icon, naturally with e.g. alt="(MS Word document)" is possible,
too, though the common icons for Word documents are not really universally
understood. Using type="application/msword" in HTML markup would be a
nice, structured way to express the information, but no browser support to
it is required and practically no support actually exists.

> but should you also provide a
> link to the Word Viewer for those who don't have the software?

That's what many accessibility recommendations say, but that's really just
a way to silence one's conscience. It looks like you're doing _something_
to improve accessibility, but it really doesn't help much. A user who
is _allowed_ and _able_ and _willing_ install software on a computer will
find a viewer without your help - perhaps a better viewer than you would
offer. And _which_ viewer would you link to? Well, of course all the world
uses Microsoft