Posted by Barbara de Zoete on 05/08/06 09:20

On Sun, 07 May 2006 22:19:27 +0200, Michael Laplante
<nowhereman@twilightzone.net> wrote:

> Technicians here quote things about "accessibility," "let end user
> decide"
> etc. If accessability were the ultimate goal though, why not just revert
> to
> simple text files using the original basic html tags?, e.g. h1, body, p,
> br.
> . . that sort of thing. Essentially nothing is more "accessible" than a
> text
> file -- perhaps with a few images inline or otherwise -- allowing the
> end-user to do whatever they want with the window, text size, font
> preference, colour scheme, etc.

You don't seem to understand. This is exactly what 'the regulars' you
refer to, do. Although not a 'text file' as such, but a HTML4.01 Strict
document (mostly). A properly marked up document is nothing more than
content marked up, using the proper HTML elements. Using this meaningful
markup creates accessible documents.

The usability is more a case of careful design. Once a document is marked
up properly, with CSS you can create the design as simple or as difficult
as you please. Using CSS guarantees that all sorts of browsers (also
braille browsers, screen readers, aural browsers, the simple text browser)
can convey the content to the visitor without a problem.

Now, what you think is 'bland' is usually the product of someone who knows
what s/he is doing technically, but is not always a gifted designer. It's
a good thing that people visit those websites for their actual content and
not their looks.


BTW, having read some of your other posts in this thread: why do you take
such a stand against proper markup and CSS for looks and layout, if you,
by your own words, are not a designer and are not even willing to present
one of your own sites here? How come you're pro tables and against
tableless design? Are you afraid you might have to rethink and have to
learn a thing or to? Put some effort in it all? You started saying 'I'm
just looking for some food for thought.', but it turns out you've alrady
made up your mind.
BTW2: had you taken this discussion to alt.www.webmaster, you might have
gotten another response. You took it to a technical group (all about
html). Why this choice? Are you just trolling?

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