[uf-discuss] Firefox 3 watershed (was: Re: Simple solution to abbr-D-P accessibility concerns: 'Title Trigger')

[Andy Mabbett]

On Fri, August 17, 2007 14:41, Scott Reynen wrote:
> On Aug 17, 2007, at 6:41 AM, Toby A Inkster wrote:
>
>
>> Really, microformats.org needs to "bless" one of the many
>> replacements for the abbr-design-pattern. I'm sure I'm not the only one
>> who's waiting for a clear direction before proceeding.
>
> In the microformats process, solutions as "blessed" by real-world
> factors.  In this case, there's testing going on, documented here:
>
> http://microformats.org/wiki/assistive-technology-abbr-results
>
>
> If you'd like to help do some testing in real screen readers, that
> would hasten this process.  But choosing a "solution" without knowing how
> well it would actually solve the problem, nor whether it would introduce
> new problems, is a bad idea.

That's true enough; but the availability of microformat in Firefox 3
(towards the end of 2007?) will be a notable watershed, and raise the
level of awareness, and this use, in the wider community.

It would be good to have a resolution before then, if possible within the
above constraints, in order that people do not least bad ("abbr-abuse")
practise which we must then expend energy attempting to "unteach".

Indeed, in an ideal world, I would have a moratorium on new proposals, and
tidy up several that are either actively being developed, or on a
back-burner, before then; including hAudio, species, currency and measure;
but I realise that that may not be possible with a volunteer community,
and should not be done at the expense of rushing through bad decisions.

-- 
Andy Mabbett
** via webmail **