Peter
Sure, let's remember these guidelines - but let's also actively challenge
them - continuously and rigourously - rather than simply complying because
we may 'lay ourselves open to potential law suits'.
Often the problem with the museum website community is that the
phrase "accessibility guideline" has become absolutely and inextricably
tied up with "let's make this as boring and visually impactless as we
possibly can". If the world followed the kind of bizarre logic of the
hardnosed "accessibility" types, we would actually end up with a product
that - yes, worked on every browser known to mankind - but was actually so
TERRIBLY DULL that no one would want to look at it anyway: hence ruining a
perfectly good experience for the vast majority of users out there with a
modern connection and modern browser. Result? Accessibility nil.
Is anyone still designing website for 3+ browsers? If they are, they're
frankly wasting good time which they should probably be spending looking at
the size of the images they use, the look and feel of their content or
their search engine. Or even (and no names here) - not using Comic Sans
font on their website, becuase let's face it - it looks truly **horrible**.
The web truly has moved on. People are now implementing broadband at home.
They've had it for years at work. Almost everyone has Flash. Most people
use browsers that can handle stylesheets. Let's *embrace* the technology,
whilst also acknowledging the constraints on those who have visual
impairments and disability. There is a middle ground - we should find it.
Mike
>>>>>>
At the same time as challenging the way that things can be viewed with
different browsers / platforms, let's also look at the kind of product that
is being delivered and how that appeals to a potential audience.
>>>
> what are your favourite websites?
However every single one of these sites is riddled with basic errors, which
may not be apparent to anyone using the latest version of IE, with perfect
vision and the default settings, but nonetheless are errors that a
professional web designer (as opposed to graphic designer) should not make.
Most of the sites clearly break accessibility guidelines, and therefore lay
their owners open to potential law suits. Others fiddle with the basic
functionality of the browser for no good reason. Yet all these errors would
have been simple to avoid.
> www.centresforcuriosity.org.uk is a fantastic site for research and
information on kids'
> museums worldwide, and I found some good websites in their list,too,
particularly in the
> States.
But it subverts the status bar for no good reason, in an interestingly
broken fashion. As for the navigation, there seems to be no link back to
the home page, and the image rollover is on for some pages and off for
others.
> I strongly recommend the 'Reticulum' site [Latin for net]- Hadrian's Wall
stuff developed in
> partnership with KS2 children. It's easy to use, looks good, is fun and
multi-layered. The
> content is also surprisingly detailed, yet accessible.
http://museums.ncl.ac.uk/reticulum/
I don't think "<noframes>
<body bgcolor="#FFFFFF" background="/NAVIBAR/OrangeTexture.jpg">
</body></noframes>" will win any accessibility prizes.
> www.soper-lane.co.uk for its functionality - running forums, chat rooms
and allowing
> users to upload their own work, comment on others, and bibliographies
etc.
Interestingly pointless alt text on the home page, though. Imagine
hearing "bg" 31 times, then "logo", then "bg." again.
> An enduring favourite is the www.bbc.co.uk site - and have met quite a
few people who
> also think it's great - for many of the reasons outlined below.
I know a lot of people say this, but I find the design of the home page
overly busy, and it's often hard to find the part you're looking for
(mainly because the site is so big)
> I like the British Museum one for intro pages and access for general
visitors
With a sideways scroll bar at less than 1024 x 768 on the home page, no alt
text on the shim.gifs and no actual text at all.
> www.dulux.co.uk - when I am teaching Internet skills no one has failed
to like this site!
> The interactivity of mousepainter is great!
Presumably no-one ever needed to re-size the very small text, then. Hint:
in IE you can't.
> For fun, but has won lots of awards The Mesoamerican Ballgames website
> www.ballgame.org ,
That's the one where the home page is entirely images without any alt text?
And where the whole site is in Flash?
also fun is www.clarksoriginals.com
Well, for certain values of $fun. Unresizeable chromeless windows. The
Flash site may be less dull, but what is it _for_?
> which site has the best design?
> www.4ureaders.net (I am biased as this is a site we commissioned)
No alt text. Empty <noframes></noframes> Navigation by imagemap on home
page. Viewed through a letter box. Strange mishmash of css and html3.2 tag
soup, including bizarrely, a style attribute used to define the height and
width of an img (valid but pointless)! A trip to validator.w3.org might be
in order.
> who successfully offers information pitched at kids and adults from one
site?
> You may like to look at www.romaninsussex.co.uk a DCMS funded site that
was initiated
> by the Sussex Archaeological Society at Fishbourne Roman Palace.
romansinsussex! Missing most alt attributes. But nice.
> Also Bamber Gasgoine's History site sorry I cant remember the web
address.
www.historyworld.net. Couldn't access it today.
> www.imj.org.il It is pitched at kids and adults, has interactive online
exhibitions and
> a dig as well.
Unresizeable (tiny) text. No alt text. Navigation by Flash.
> what site is the most inspiring right now?
> http://www.runnersworld.co.uk
Yet more unresizeable text. What is it with designers that they all seem to
love tiny text?
Pete
--
Peter M Gray
Museums Officer
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