help with home page accessibility?

The Bicycling Guitarist

Hi. Most of my web site can pass the AAA level of Bobby, but my home page
doesn't pass the single A level. AAARRGGHHH Can anyone make specific
suggestions that would preserve the general appearance and layout while
improving accessibility for all? The page is already XHTML 1.0 strict and
uses CSS. Thanks.
http://www.TheBicyclingGuitarist.net

Chris Watson a.k.a. "The Bicycling Guitarist"

Jul 23 '05 #1

Neal

On Mon, 18 Oct 2004 20:42:20 GMT, The Bicycling Guitarist
<Ch***@TheBicyclingGuitarist.net> wrote:

Hi. Most of my web site can pass the AAA level of Bobby, but my home page
doesn't pass the single A level. AAARRGGHHH Can anyone make specific
suggestions that would preserve the general appearance and layout while
improving accessibility for all? The page is already XHTML 1.0 strict and
uses CSS. Thanks.
http://www.TheBicyclingGuitarist.net

Chris Watson a.k.a. "The Bicycling Guitarist"

Seems to pass A level.
<http://bobby.watchfire.com/bobby/bob...tp%3A%2F%2Fwww.[thebicyclingguitarist.net%2F&output=Submit&gl=wcag 1-aaa&test=>]

The "web ring" part has illogical link text. "Here" doesn't work for link
text - use text that describes the destination. In fact, all the Bobby
problems with the page has to do with awful HTML in the web ring thingie.

Your H1 is really big. Is that really a heading?

Try using list markup for a list of links.
[http://www.alistapart.com/articles/taminglists/]

BTW, XHTML isn't really needed here. You can't serve it properly to IE so
you really don't get a benefit. HTML 4.01 would be just as good here.

Jul 23 '05 #2

The Bicycling Guitarist

"Neal" <ne*****@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:op**************@news.individual.net...

On Mon, 18 Oct 2004 20:42:20 GMT, The Bicycling Guitarist
<Ch***@TheBicyclingGuitarist.net> wrote:

Seems to pass A level.
<http://bobby.watchfire.com/bobby/bob...tp%3A%2F%2Fwww.[thebicyclingguitarist.net%2F&output=Submit&gl=wcag 1-aaa&test=>]

text - use text that describes the destination. In fact, all the Bobby
problems with the page has to do with awful HTML in the web ring thingie.

Thanks Neal! Believe it or not, the web ring code as supplied by the web
ring place is MUCH worse! I cleaned it up so it would pass the w3.org
validator.
The H1 has CSS applied for this page only. It is the main message of the
page. I made all my pages have only ONE H1 on each page, and never use
headings as a design feature instead of a logical structure. Most of my one
hundred sixty web pages are XHTML 1.0 strict following guidelines of
Appendix C for backwards compatibility. The rest (the oldest pages) were
rewritten as XHTML 1.0 transitional.
Thanks again, Chris a.k.a. "The Bicycling Guitarist"

Jul 23 '05 #3

KHaled

"The Bicycling Guitarist" <Ch***@TheBicyclingGuitarist.net>
wrote in news:MU*****************@newssvr14.news.prodigy.co m:

http://www.TheBicyclingGuitarist.net

When I increased the font all text, menu and content area
increased, which yielded a rather unreadable look.. I think you
should give the viewer an element of control over font sizing,
but keep it under your control so that problems don't occure..

I have seen css/.js code that gives you buttons (+) (-) which
allow the user to click within a limit to increase (decrease)
size. You will find good stuff at http://www.dyn-web.com

Good luck..

KHaled.

Jul 23 '05 #4

KHaled

Neal <ne*****@yahoo.com> wrote in
news:op**************@news.individual.net:

On Mon, 18 Oct 2004 20:42:20 GMT, The Bicycling Guitarist
<Ch***@TheBicyclingGuitarist.net> wrote:

Hi. Most of my web site can pass the AAA level of Bobby,
but my home page doesn't pass the single A level.
AAARRGGHHH Can anyone make specific suggestions that
would preserve the general appearance and layout while
improving accessibility for all? The page is already XHTML
1.0 strict and uses CSS. Thanks.
http://www.TheBicyclingGuitarist.net

Chris Watson a.k.a. "The Bicycling Guitarist"
Seems to pass A level.
<http://bobby.watchfire.com/bobby/bob...t?URL=http%3A%

2 F%2Fwww.[thebicyclingguitarist.net% 2F&output=Submit&gl=wcag1 -aaa&test=>]

The "web ring" part has illogical link text. "Here" doesn't
work for link text - use text that describes the
destination. In fact, all the Bobby problems with the page
has to do with awful HTML in the web ring thingie.

Your H1 is really big. Is that really a heading?

Try using list markup for a list of links.
[http://www.alistapart.com/articles/taminglists/]

BTW, XHTML isn't really needed here. You can't serve it
properly to IE so you really don't get a benefit. HTML 4.01
would be just as good here.

Neil, that link you gave is AWSOME !! I was really tempted to
startup my site downloader !! Thanks.

KHaled.

Jul 23 '05 #5

Chris Morris

KHaled <me@localhost.home> writes:

"The Bicycling Guitarist" <Ch***@TheBicyclingGuitarist.net>
wrote in news:MU*****************@newssvr14.news.prodigy.co m:

http://www.TheBicyclingGuitarist.net
When I increased the font all text, menu and content area
increased, which yielded a rather unreadable look.. I think you

Which browser is this? When I increased font size considerably in mine
the layout shifted a bit but no real problems happened (except the
three columns on the home page got a bit narrow for the word lengths)
should give the viewer an element of control over font sizing,
but keep it under your control so that problems don't occure..
You can't keep font size under your control unless you use images of
text with all the problems that causes.
I have seen css/.js code that gives you buttons (+) (-) which
allow the user to click within a limit to increase (decrease)
size.

But they still have their browser controls to go outside those limits,
and quite possibly give finer control within those limits. If they
need to be changing font sizes they'll be familiar with those
controls. If they aren't, then setting a sensible font size in the
first place should be sufficient.

--
Chris

Jul 23 '05 #6

KHaled

Chris Morris <c.********@durham.ac.uk> wrote in
news:87************@dinopsis.dur.ac.uk:

Which browser is this? When I increased font size
considerably in mine the layout shifted a bit but no real
problems happened (except the three columns on the home
page got a bit narrow for the word lengths)

I use the Mozilla bread..

should give the viewer an element of control over font
sizing, but keep it under your control so that problems
don't occure..

You can't keep font size under your control unless you use
images of text with all the problems that causes.

I have seen css/.js code that gives you buttons (+) (-)
which allow the user to click within a limit to increase
(decrease) size.

But they still have their browser controls to go outside
those limits, and quite possibly give finer control within
those limits. If they need to be changing font sizes
they'll be familiar with those controls. If they aren't,
then setting a sensible font size in the first place should
be sufficient.

I will get back to you on this.. I will see if I can dig up
the code, or a specific link.

KHaled.

Jul 23 '05 #7

The Bicycling Guitarist

"KHaled" <me@localhost.home> wrote in message
news:Xn*****************************@130.133.1.4.. .

Neal <ne*****@yahoo.com> wrote in
news:op**************@news.individual.net:

On Mon, 18 Oct 2004 20:42:20 GMT, The Bicycling Guitarist
<Ch***@TheBicyclingGuitarist.net> wrote:

Hi. Most of my web site can pass the AAA level of Bobby,
but my home page doesn't pass the single A level.
http://www.TheBicyclingGuitarist.net

Chris Watson a.k.a. "The Bicycling Guitarist"

Seems to pass A level.
<http://bobby.watchfire.com/bobby/bob...t?URL=http%3A%

2

Thanks KHaled. I'm still confused by Bobby's report, but I tried a couple of
other automated accessibility checkers, and to my surprise even my home page
does quite well, with warnings to manually check some items to make sure it
passes. I also deleted the Ringsurf Webring that had many dead links.
Chris Watson a.k.a. "The Bicycling Guitarist"

Jul 23 '05 #8

Neal

On Fri, 22 Oct 2004 05:43:55 GMT, The Bicycling Guitarist
<Ch***@TheBicyclingGuitarist.net> wrote:

"KHaled" <me@localhost.home> wrote in message
news:Xn*****************************@130.133.1.4.. .

Neal <ne*****@yahoo.com> wrote in
news:op**************@news.individual.net: Thanks KHaled.

Actually, it's me. And you're welcome.
I'm still confused by Bobby's report, but I tried a couple of
other automated accessibility checkers, and to my surprise even my home
page
does quite well, with warnings to manually check some items to make sure
it
passes.
The site was not bad.
I also deleted the Ringsurf Webring that had many dead links.

Good move.

Jul 23 '05 #9

The Bicycling Guitarist

"Neal" <ne*****@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:op**************@news.individual.net...

On Fri, 22 Oct 2004 05:43:55 GMT, The Bicycling Guitarist
<Ch***@TheBicyclingGuitarist.net> wrote:

"KHaled" <me@localhost.home> wrote in message
news:Xn*****************************@130.133.1.4.. .

Neal <ne*****@yahoo.com> wrote in
news:op**************@news.individual.net:

Thanks KHaled.

Actually, it's me. And you're welcome.

The site was not bad.

I also deleted the Ringsurf Webring that had many dead links.

Good move.

Oops. My bad. Thanks again Neal, and for the compliment too!

Jul 23 '05 #10

Stephen Poley

On Fri, 22 Oct 2004 05:43:55 GMT, "The Bicycling Guitarist"
<Ch***@TheBicyclingGuitarist.net> wrote:

I'm still confused by Bobby's report, but I tried a couple of
other automated accessibility checkers, and to my surprise even my home page
does quite well, with warnings to manually check some items to make sure it
passes.

It's doubtful whether automated accessibility checking is much use,
taken at face value. Running a checker over a few of your pages is
certainly handy for prodding you to think about the issues involved, but
the majority of issues can only be checked manually.

--
Stephen Poley

http://www.xs4all.nl/~sbpoley/webmatters/

Jul 23 '05 #11