E-mail List Archives
Thread: email issue
Number of posts in this thread: 7 (In chronological order)
From: Donna Jones
Date: Wed, Sep 03 2008 11:10AM
Subject: email issue
No previous message | Next message →
Hi everyone: about e-mail! i've just had a question from someone who
uses Outlook (Express?) and uses wallpaper in her e-mail (which also
means it would be in html). she is wondering if the wallpaper creates
any accessibility issues.
i told her it created a bigger file (wasting bandwidth) but didn't know
what to say about accessibility. and, come to think of it, i don't even
know how folks read email when there is no sight. does Jaws read
e-mail? are there other programs people use?
i directed her to the website but then realized that i should just sign
up for the list again (its been a while since i was here). I *love* lists.
thanks for any information and enlightenment.
best regards,
Donna Jones
From: Cliff Tyllick
Date: Wed, Sep 03 2008 11:20AM
Subject: Re: email issue
← Previous message | Next message →
Donna, I can see fine (when I wear powerful glasses), but wallpaper in e-mail raises the same issues for me as a background on a Web page:
--Is there sufficient color contrast? Even a solid shade of wallpaper can trigger this issue. People with low vision or people viewing the page under unfavorable lighting would appreciate all the contrast they can get.
--Is the wallpaper patterned? Even when there is high contrast, reading text against a pattern can be a challenge. If you want everyone to get your message clearly, don't display it against a pattern. Patterned backgrounds trigger issues of not only visual acuity but also cognition. And people tell me I'm pretty sharp, but captchas (especially those with patterned backgrounds) have been making me feel pretty dumb lately---I see something clearly, but they say what is showing isn't what I'm entering.
In short, heeding good practices for accessibility benefits us all. Tell your friend to be considerate of her readers and ditch the wallpaper.
Cliff Tyllick
Web development coordinator
Agency Communications Division
Texas Commission on Environmental Quality
512-239-4516
= EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
>>> Donna Jones < = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = > 9/3/2008 12:02 PM >>>
Hi everyone: about e-mail! i've just had a question from someone who
uses Outlook (Express?) and uses wallpaper in her e-mail (which also
means it would be in html). she is wondering if the wallpaper creates
any accessibility issues.
i told her it created a bigger file (wasting bandwidth) but didn't know
what to say about accessibility. and, come to think of it, i don't even
know how folks read email when there is no sight. does Jaws read
e-mail? are there other programs people use?
i directed her to the website but then realized that i should just sign
up for the list again (its been a while since i was here). I *love* lists.
thanks for any information and enlightenment.
best regards,
Donna Jones
From: Karl Groves
Date: Wed, Sep 03 2008 11:30AM
Subject: Re: email issue
← Previous message | Next message →
It really depends on the nature of the wallpaper.
In terms of accessibility, HTML e-mail has the same challenges that an HTML
web page would have.
Two big things to consider for an HTML e-mail ("wallpaper") are any embedded
images and color contrast. Images in wallpaper usually take the form of
logos/ signatures and backgrounds. Naturally for a logo or signature there
should be some sort of alternative text. For background images, be careful
of the e-mails readability. I see a lot of e-mail wallpapers which create
terrible color contrast problems either due to background images or just
regular old background colors.
Karl
From: Info
Date: Wed, Sep 03 2008 11:40AM
Subject: Re: email issue
← Previous message | Next message →
Yes, even using the built in stationary can cause issues. Because there
isn't always good contrast between fonts and background...or even with fonts
people use for replying and forwarding, this can get visually messy and the
readability level decreases. Some days it pays to use a screen reader so I
don't have to wade through the visual clutter.
I had friends without disabilities use stationary and wallpaper and then
write to me complaining that they couldn't see text in a response to their
posts.
Outlook also has a setting to use random colours for replying to e-mail
which can also create readability and accessibility issues so should be
turned off.
Go to Mail Format > Stationary and Fonts in Outlook 2007 and make sure the
"pick new colour when replying or forwarding" is unchecked. It is also in
Outlook 2003 but I forget if the Stationary and Fonts is one button or two
so you'll have to look for it.
Cheers, Karen
From: Michael R. Burks
Date: Wed, Sep 03 2008 11:50AM
Subject: Re: email issue
← Previous message | Next message →
All,
It would see to me it could create an issue if it affects contrast, or if it
inserts a "busy" background that makes it hard to read the email.
Sincerely,
Mike Burks
From: Conyers, Dwayne
Date: Wed, Sep 03 2008 12:10PM
Subject: Re: email issue
← Previous message | Next message →
Donna Jones [ = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] ink wired:
> she is wondering if the wallpaper creates any
> accessibility issues.
>
> i told her it created a bigger file (wasting
> bandwidth) but didn't know what to say about
> accessibility.
Regarding file size, I have seen some individuals use wallpaper that was a link to a URL... but it still used bandwidth to download the file.
Regarding accessibility: I recall a setting where a user can set OE to turn HTML mail into plain text, thus eliminating those problems (and also protecting against spam, virus and etc.)
I would assume that having the e-mail converted to plain text would solve accessibility issues. Also, I think that certain MIME encoding would have plain text separate from the dooded-up (technical term) version.
--
The generation that used acid to escape reality is now using antacid to deal with reality
http://blog.dwacon.com
From: Donna Jones
Date: Wed, Sep 03 2008 9:50PM
Subject: Re: email issue
← Previous message | No next message
> i directed her to the website but then realized that i should just sign
> up for the list again (its been a while since i was here). I *love* lists.
>
> thanks for any information and enlightenment.
Hey everyone: really neat to get so many answers earlier today. i think
her wallpaper isn't a problem since its the Ivy and just down the
left-side a bit, with no text overlapping.
i did today, though, download a demonstration copy of Jaws and,
hopefully soon, will install that and try it out. i've had a copy
before but its been a good many years ago.
thanks again for your responses!
best
Donna