

RE: Validity

From: Andrew Kirkpatrick <akirkpatrick@macromedia.com>
Date: Fri, 4 Nov 2005 06:02:35 -0800
Message-ID: <DC9D05204B1E16419D62C12561C93221063B687C@p01exm01.macromedia.com>
To: "Roberto Scano \(IWA/HWG\)" <rscano@iwa-italy.org>, <koch@w3development.de>, <w3c-wai-gl@w3.org>

> I think that the problem is specifically vendor-oriented.
> Flash for accessibility features (that is available only with 
> ms windows + jaws/hpr and IE) need to have <embed> element 
> because they have implemented MSAA for work with embed.

This is not true. Flash uses the embed element for cross-browser display
and did so before there was accessible Flash. 

> Having valid code at level 1 don't means have problem with 
> national law (all exisisting law that are wcag-based refer at 
> least at level 2 of wcag 1.0) but means that Flash cannot be used.

Actually, Section 508 in the US is basically WCAG-based and doesn't
include validation or many other P2's.

As far as not having valid code, it doesn't mean that Flash can't be
used, it means that other compromised need to be made.  If you want
valid code with Flash you need to either:
1) require javascript from your users
2) use proprietary IE-specific comments
3) use a valid technique that breaks accessibility in the most widely
used user agent for blind people

Does using the embed element cause problems for automated testing tools?
Really?  They seem to parse it now fairly well...

> This is the reality: and eventually there is the "Baywatch" 
> (ops, the "baseline") that let the user to setup minimum 

Is this a joke?  If so, I don't get it.

> Sorry for the tune of this post, but it's incredible that we 
> need to force wcag 2.0 for conform with a plugin that is 
> accessible only in one OS and with a specific configuration 

If you think that this is all about the Flash player then your view is
too narrow. This is a problem for QuickTime, SVG, WindowsMedia, Real,
and others.  

What will happen is that users will reply on javascript more to write
the needed code on the fly, after passing validation.  This goes on now
with a lot of dynamic javascript web work - the application/page is
declared 'valid XHTML' but the new content that is added dynamically
isn't necessarily.


Andrew Kirkpatrick
Principal Accessibility Engineer, Macromedia
Received on Friday, 4 November 2005 14:03:06 GMT
