Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0- (Found June 24, 2008 ) I am on holiday at the moment, so I am not doing much updating of the site - however I did notice that the W3c has published the draft of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0.http://www.mcu.org.uk/showlog.php?weblogid=20 This weeks tip: expand your use of abbreviations and acronyms- (Found June 24, 2008 ) If your web pages are littered with acronyms and abbreviations (e.g. HTML, W3C, CSS), you will be pleased to know that HTML 4 (and above) provides a way to expand those abbreviations without clogging up your pages with additional text. What is the difference between an abbreviation and an acronym Abbreviations are any shortened form of written words that represent the complete form, such as UK for United Kingdom, MCU for Making Connections Unit, or etc for etcetera. Acronyms are...http://www.mcu.org.uk/showlog.php?weblogid=19 More talk with Jeffrey Zeldman- (Found June 24, 2008 ) In part two of A Conversation With Jeffrey Zeldman, Jeffrey talks about the creation of the A List Apart' website.http://www.mcu.org.uk/showlog.php?weblogid=18 HTML 4.01 or XHTML for university web pages- (Found June 24, 2008 ) Is there a case for using HTML 4.01 in a web publishing invironment like a university The argument for using HTML 4.01 rather than the 'more forward looking' but stricter XHTML 1 Transitional or XHTML 1.1 is not 'watertight' (however, the argument for using standard markup for web pages is - see the book 'Designing with web standards' by Jeffrey Zeldman for details of those arguments). In a different environment with less users, more technically aware publishers, and tools that assist in...http://www.mcu.org.uk/showlog.php?weblogid=17 United Kingdom Web Accessibility Congress- (Found June 24, 2008 ) United Kingdom Web Accessibility Congress, 29th-31st August 2003, University of Central England in Birmingham. "Come, meet and listen to web professionals, academics, disability specialists who are concerned with ensuring that Web pages are accessible to all, no matter what browsing device is used. " abbreviations and acronyms Learn more about abbreviations and acronyms at Made for All Accessibility and the NHS I stumbled across this article about Accessibility and the NHS on Bruce Hadden's..http://www.mcu.org.uk/showlog.php?weblogid=16 Arguments for flexible webpage layouts- (Found June 24, 2008 ) Some notes: why are flexible web page layouts a good idea 1. The web is not print. From Evolt.org article 'Liquid design for the web'. "One of the greatest advantages of the web is something that your average dedicated print designer or software developer can't get their arms around. The idea that it's a fluid medium, that information can be experienced in as many ways as there are users...." "..On the web, all that goes out the window. Users could be running anything from a...http://www.mcu.org.uk/showlog.php?weblogid=15 Changing over to a new content management system- (Found June 24, 2008 ) I have not been able to update the news recently because I can't connect to the server that hosts the site. I can connect via ftp ok, when I am outside the university, but not when I'm in the university. Don't ask me why - I don't know Nothing seems to be changing in relation to this problem, so I need to switch to a new system for updating the site. I have been using a Content Management System (CMS) called Manila; a browser based CMS that automatically sends updates to the server via ftp....http://www.mcu.org.uk/showlog.php?weblogid=1 User customization using a style sheet switcher and scripts.- (Found June 24, 2008 ) Gez at Juicy Studio has created an ASP version of my turbo-charged style sheet switcher. He has also christened it, the 'ByrneLemon Technique' - which I like the sound of. :-) Apart from providing and excellent tutorial and the required ASP code (more elegantly coded than my own) - he has also fixed a few problems: Changing the file suffix of the external style sheets to .php meant Gecko based browser were not getting the correct MIME type (i.e. the style sheet was not being recognised as a...http://www.mcu.org.uk/showlog.php?weblogid=49 Scottish Arts Marketers' Forum: accessible web design- (Found June 24, 2008 ) Last Thursday I lead a 'round table discussion session' on accessible web design for the Scottish Arts Council Marketers' Forum. It was an enjoyable experience - here are some of the issues that came up and brief versions of my answers. How do blind people surf the web What should we be aware off when designing for someone who is blind Many blind people, and people with low vision use a 'screen reader' which 'reads out' (i.e. turns into audio) the text on a web page. This has implications..http://www.mcu.org.uk/showlog.php?weblogid=50 Well designed accessible websites sell accessibility- (Found June 24, 2008 ) My thought for the day: "Well designed accessible websites, sell accessibility more effectively than badly designed websites about accessibility."http://www.mcu.org.uk/showlog.php?weblogid=13 |