Re: FN-FORUM: accessibility issues... (accesskey mainly)

date posted 6th August 2004 19:45

Luke Perman wrote:

>
> On 6 Aug 2004, at 18:15, Tony Crockford wrote:
>
>> you really shouldn't use access keys for anything other than the
>> basic common navigation.
>>
>> you *should* try and match your keys to some standards.
>
>
> here is the crux of my bone of contention - why the hell should my
> site follow some goverment guide to content (as the accesskeys below
> would suggest)

because the only way your users can discover your access keys (short of
code reading) is if you follow a standard.

>
> i'm all for standards - but this seems to be overly dictatorial!
>
>
isn't that what standards are for? lol

>> "Listed below is the recommended UK Government accesskeys standard:
>>
>> S - Skip navigation
>> 1 - Home page
>> 2 - What's new
>> 3 - Site map
>> 4 - Search
>> 5 - Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
>> 6 - Help
>> 7 - Complaints procedure
>> 8 - Terms and conditions
>> 9 - Feedback form
>> 0 - Access key details
>
>
>
> i read somewhere that if you have to explain to a user how to use a
> site, surely that is hindering accessibility?

it sure is but if you follow the an accepted standard then you don't
have to tell the user how to use the site you tell them you use the
standard and if they are interested they already know how to use your
site. The standard stops you having to tell users how to use the
accesskeys. ;-)

>
> looks like cynthia is being overly pedantic about accesskey use. i
> get what you say about tabindex - i'll have to have a play. i can
> totally see the use of tabindex with forms - i hadn't really
> considered its use with links - but i guess for a page of links (such
> as a news archive) this is a much better way of doing it than using
> accesskey...
>
quite a few people browse single handed ;-) so accesskeys and tab
indexes are all good ;-)

the problem with tab index is if you author the site in a thoughtful
manner then the links appear in tab index format by default so you find
yourself telling the browser to do what you would expect it to do
anyway. Things might be different in languages that don't read top left
to bottom right.

There are two different schools of thought on standards those that see
standards as guidelines and those that see standards as set in stone
(until and better standard comes along). I belong to the latter (as
does cythia) and you belong to the former (with everyone else that is
misguided ;-) )

> luke
>
> ---


sparkes