** Reply to note from [log in to unmask] Fri, 24 Sep 1999 09:30:07 GMT
> A problem we have discovered is that some of our potential website
> users work in companies where it is company policy to stick with an
> old browser (even version 2) and staff do not have the right to
> install new versions, even free ones, on company computers.
So True! Unlike HE institutions where one might argue, we are compelled to
have the latest technology so students are exposed to it, companies are not.
Are we confusing home users who normally have the latest gizzmo with
techies who normally do too, and companies which are more concerned with
productivity and dividents for the shareholders.
I cannot agree with you Brian (BTW I am not making this personal, you are
the messenger :-] ) that we must class as obsolete older browsers. It always
becomes an issue of "haves" and "have nots" (you think accessibility in terms
of disability, "trendy stuff", I think accessibility because of lack
of means). It is as bad as the site that started the conversation
working only for 1 browser. They will NOT make money and Sheila is already
aware.
Standards
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At the end of the day when I see sites that require the latest Browsers
more often than not the reasons are cosmetic.
I have ever used two sites where, say, Javascript was necessary (I am not
suggesting there aren't more).
What does Javscript do most of the time? Changes pictures!
What does java do most of the time? Puts some news ticker on the screen!
(Guilty too!)
CSS in my yet naive view helps the user get nearer Desk Top Publishing.
Are we really saying that a plain page with the half dozen necessary commands
is less "Accessible" than one that has the latest gizzmo? I know the latter
is nicer to look at and enhances the web experience.
Why is this big push (for the last year or so) from the w3 consortium,
yourself, all these other recommending and advising bodies and committees?
Very sharp advice to ignore older browsers and advance the people's
revolution. They want us to railroad the use of the latest technology, XML,
stylesheets, html 4.0 ... and so on. They want to force users to adopt
the latest techology (and 20 years ago I would say to make M$ richer). It
seems to me that the push from these independent, non-profit making bodies,
is to try and recapture the www from companies like M$ and Netscape who went
on and defined their own standards. I do not think the web will be recaptured
(not that it is anyone's to capture anyway). The companies that matter have
the resources to do as they please. If they follow "standards" it is because
it suits them.
E-Business rules the emerging standards.
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To knock my favourite Big Blue as well. You must have noticed the current
e-business advertising campaign from IBM on prime-time television.
Yo brother, thats big money. They will probably spend 10 times our annual
turnover (Dundee's) on a years worth of global advertising. It is such a
coincidence that IBM's web developing technologies have so much in common
with all these emerging standards. Clearly there is a lot of cooperation
between big corporations and the bodies which "set" the new standards.
To conclude with all the bumf about accessibility. Is it really for disabled
people or does it have to do more with PDAs and all these other emerging
gadgets which require minimal quick access to the web to help us spend money?
e-business Rules OK!
Charles
BTW. Ain't got any money to buy some IBM shares and join in the People's
revolution. Got a car instead :-)
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Charles Christacopoulos, Secretary's Office, University of Dundee,
Dundee DD1 4HN, (Scotland) United Kingdom.
Tel: +44+(0)1382-344891. Fax: +44+(0)1382-201604.
WebDad of http://somis.ais.dundee.ac.uk/
Home of the Scottish Search Maestro http://somis2.ais.dundee.ac.uk/
Happily using OS2 Warp.
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