Cohousing-L Mailing List: Re: please keep our list on email

[Jim Rebman (seamus]

Last one on this...

>
> Interesting, Jim.  I've long been disappointed with the web's trends
in
> utility to text based users (which closely correlates with
useability by
> blind folks, I think).  There may be some hope in the future when
the web
> "know" more about what it is delivering (the semantic web is one
term that
> I think applies) but I'm not holding my breath.  I'd also like to
see an
> overhaul of email protocols and useage but now I can imagine loss of
> utility in the attempt to improve things.
>

I am an HCI usability and accessibility person and I couldn't agree
more.  The basic problem is that the web is inherently a system of
linear links and the kind of "random" acces one needs to work such
things as threaded discussion systems, collaborative work, and
knowledge building systems, and web mail are really not particularly
well suited to the way the web was designed to work.  When you
consider that a screen reader essentially forces a serial access
interface on you, it only compounds the problems -- and all this is
separate from all the basic web accessibility issues around alt tags,
javascript controls, flash, mouseovers, and all the other eye candy
that designers have at their disposal today.  The access is getting
better with these things but it forces the designers to be aware of
the issue and the technological constraints they have to work within.
Fun stuff <smile>.

Ok, no more on this, I promise.

-- Jim


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