RE: [user-assistance-discuss] Thoughts on Graphical Callouts

["Paul Prescod" <paul.prescod@xmetal.com>]

________________________________

	From: marbux [mailto:marbux@gmail.com] 
	Sent: Monday, May 08, 2006 4:19 PM
	To: Paul Prescod
	Cc: user-assistance-discuss@lists.oasis-open.org
	Subject: Re: [user-assistance-discuss] Thoughts on Graphical
Callouts
	
	
	Mere canvas and a brush do not an artist make, and taking the
crayons away from the toddler who has been busily decorating the walls
does him no harm. 
	 

I do not agree with your characterization of technical communication
professionals. 

		There is no time for mere "encouragement." The legal
right to reasonable accommodations for disabling conditions became
effective many years ago. I certainly would marshal opposition to a Help
authoring system XML standard that enables Help files being generated
that do not comply with accessibility guidelines and fully enable
related standards such as VoiceXML
		 

Have you marshaled opposition to DITA, Docbook, ODF and XHTML on the
basis that any of them can be used to make inaccessible content?

		 
		This discussion would be more useful were it focused on
how to programatically ensure that Help authoring systems produce *only*
handicapped-accessible Help files.  I have proposed one solution. Do you
have another? 
		 

No, this is not possible. I cannot stop a technical writer from writing:
"push the button to the left of the text field." I can train a writer
not to do so, but no code that I write can prevent it.

I think that your passion for the issue is admirable. I think that if
you use your energy to make accessibility possible and convenient then
it will be effective. 
 
Trying to make inaccessibility impossible is, in my opinion,
wrong-headed and impossible. Shall we take away the GUIs altogether and
force everyone to the command line? Shall we deprecate whiteboards,
printed books and street maps?
 
 Paul Prescod