include-pattern-feedback

Include Pattern Feedback

Objects and Browser Behavior

Over at Yahoo! Local, we were using the object include pattern for all our hReviews on business detail pages and review listings. That is, until we realized that Safari and Internet Explorer both try to embed the entire page with every OBJECT call. (Firefox correctly recognizes that it's a local object and doesn't reload anything.)

On a page with 20+ reviews, this means a substantial increase in load time and memory consumption. As a result of this (bad) browser behavior, we removed the objects entirely.

Any suggestions for workarounds or modifications to the pattern?

-- AndyBaio

Hyperlink Include - Screen Reader Testing

Some concerns have been raised over what implications using empty hyperlinks may have on assistive devices such as screen readers. The concern is that an empty link may be read out, partially read out or result in some other confusing scenario for the user.

In response, a test page consisting of a number of empty hyperlinks in the style suggested by the pattern has been created. A 'good' result is that none of the links be read out.

Test Results: JAWS 7.0 with Firefox 1.5/Win

Tested by Phae 2006-07-21.

• 31 dash include dash Mozilla Firefox
• Page has no links
• 31 dash include

Conclusion: the hyperlink include pattern presented no usability issues for this screen reader.