Re: accessibility and usability

in comp.infosystems.www.authoring.stylesheets, Barbara de Zoete wrote:

[F'up set to ciwas-d]

I am getting more and more confused as to the meaning of the words
'accessibility' and 'usability' *in the context of the world wide web*.

Well, it is confusing subject.

What do these two words mean?

(in context of wwww)

Accessibility: Web site uses best ways to make all content available to
everybody

Usability: Web site is made to be as easy to use as possible. All
usability doesn't need to be accessible for all - but it is hard to come
up with good example.

For example if one considers multilevel menu to have better usability if
the child levels are only shown when hovered, this content is not
necessarily accessible for all, as JS/CSS used for effect is not
supported.

It makes usually sence to not show all those child nodes when hover menu
thingy is not supported, as it will be very bad usability to have n+1
links in every page - and twice as bad if someone uses speaking
browser. So make only the first level of links show up, if multilevel
menu thingy can't be used, and make the links work as normal links to
subpage, where you show the child links for this particular subject.

You are hiding some content because better usability.

Of course, it is most likely better just replace whole big menu on every
page with link to full menu. One can read such menu much faster than one
that he needs to hover all the time, and browsers nice functions like
seach links work much better.

Can anyone please explain to someone who is not native speaking, nor
fluent in English?

Hm. Natives seem to missunderstand my English. Maybe nonnatives don't?


--
Lauri Raittila <http://www.iki.fi/lr> <http://www.iki.fi/zwak/fonts>