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Thread: Re: CAn this page be saved from itself?

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From: Terence de Giere
Date: Thu, Sep 18 2003 12:40PM
Subject: Re: CAn this page be saved from itself?
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With regard to the web page, actually web *pages* at
http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/lawlibrary/default.asp
it seems that they did create some alternative means to provide
accessible content, but the server routines designed to
redirect users to the alternate page or pages failed in a
number of cases. Also, the failure of IBM HRP to read
the page indicates the routines did not have enough scope
to handle a wide variety of potential users.

Some *visible* manually activated link to alternate content
is needed that any browser assistive/technology
combination can access, and it really needs to be very
close to the begining of any page content, not buried
somewhere. Visual designers have a strong tendency to
want to hide such a link, but low vision and other users
need a visual link. For example a text page that can reflow
would be of great use for screen magnification because it
would reduce horizontal scrolling.

So far there does not seem to be any standard with a real
world implementation that allows unambiguous detection of
user agents and ancillary technology. For example IBM HPR
and Internet Explorer have very similar HTTP headers, since
HPR is based on the IE engine.

There was also a failure to detect a browser with Flash installed
but disabled, and apparently to detect if JavaScript was off as
well.

Terence de Giere
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