Web Standards, Accessibility & More

The topic has resurfaced on blogs and Twitter recently: is code validation necessary? Well, yes and no.

Complete HTML (and CSS) validation is a great goal, but 100% validation is not crucial nor necessary. Browsers will usually correct and render markup that’s poor quality. This good because it give the user the best experience. But it’s bad in the long run because it encourages developers to not pay attention to code validation and web standards.

Web experts seem to agree that code validation is important and necessary to a certain extent, but for somewhat different reasons. In Nicholas Zakas’ article listed below, he states that correct syntax and nesting are most important aspects of valid code. Chris Heilmann points out that part of the issue is human error; people misinterpret the results. And Bruce Lawson summed it up 6 years ago by stating that validation is “a means” of proper web development rather than “an end”. These are all valid points.

Today, it seems the majority of web developers and designers still aren’t paying enough attention to valid code (as well as clean, progressively enhanced, semantic markup). And until they do (and realize this is the best practice), the community as a whole will continue to debate over this issue. My warning is this:

If developers continue to stray away from valid code, and browsers continue to support invalid code, we’ll eventually end up in the fragmented mess that existed before web standards and code validation became mainstream a few years ago.

Do you agree?

Here are the related articles:

The value of HTML validation by Nicholas C. Zakas (August 17, 2010)

I do believe that parts of the HTML validation service are incredibly useful, but I won’t be held hostage because I’m using custom attributes. [i.e. ARIA]

validate() || dont() by Chris Heilmann (August 17, 2010)

Most of the issues of validation are not about validating or the tools – it is about people misinterpreting the results. As there is such a gap between the standards and what browsers can do some errors being flagged up should be exceptions and not flagged up as show-stoppers.

CSS/ xhtml: does validation matter? by Bruce Lawson (November 21, 2004)

But no client has ever demanded that the pages validate – itself a sign that validation is a means rather than an end.

Last week (July 29 2010), I presented the session “Twitter and Web Accessibility” at the Assistive Technology Conference hosted by the INDATA Project at Easter Seals Crossroads at the Indiana Convention Center in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana.

It was my first time in Indy, strange since I grew up only a 5-hour drive away in the Detroit suburbs. Except the humid weather and lousy flight delays on the way home, it was a great experience! It was great meeting the organizer of the event, Sara Croft, and running into the keynote speaker, John Bramblitt, at the airport. In addition to the excellent keynote speech by John, a highlight of the conference was an accessible gaming arcade provided by the AbleGamers Foundation. My presentation went well, and had a great conversation with a few visually-impaired users afterwards. Oh, and I took some photos of downtown Indianapolis.

Here’s my presentation below, a SlideShare link and embedded SlideShare Flash version. Or, go to the (text-only) HTML version.

What’s up with me?

I recently published a great new podcast on Web Axe, HTML5 and John Foliot (a transcript is also provided). I interview John Foliot, a professional peer whom I also consider a friend. John shares he extensive knowledge in HTML5, the W3C, and web accessibility. He works at Stanford University and is an active member of the W3C.

Lists functionality is completed on AccessibleTwitter.com, finally. It’s been in progress for like half a year! Just need to add some Ajax to enhance the experience now. But for the next month, I’ll be busy working on converting the Basic Authentication to Open Auth. Fun. By the way, Accessible Twitter experienced some site outages a few weeks ago, but it seems to be resolved. Remember that unsetting your PHP variables is always a good idea! Ugh.

So I’ve become a pretty regular FourSquare user. I’m proud to be the “mayor” of the Starbucks close to my day job, in Redwood Shores, California. No biggie, although I do get $1 off a frappaccino at any time. Although I’m not big on frappaccinos; too bad it’s not a discount on espressos con panna!

Steve Jobs recently published an open letter about Apple’s position on Flash which addressed the reasons behind not implementing Flash on the iPhone, iPod, and iPad. It’s very well written and has some great points, but contains many flaws as well. Apple is a great design company, and I understand they are indeed a company and must look out for their own interest; but that doesn’t excuse the act of misinforming and misleading people.

One of the first responses to the letter was by Remy Sharp (@rem) who pointed out that:

1. HTML5 apps won’t just work with touch devices, the code to handle touch events must still be written.
2. The H.264 video format is currently supported only by Safari and Chrome, but H.264 is not supported by the two biggest browsers, IE and Firefox.

Remy’s tweet also points us to this video of a presentation from Jonathan Stark, App Store is For Suckers. Stark points out some not-so-good points about the Apple Store including the fact that they subjectively turn down many apps which applied to be in the store. For example, there are many games which including war and killing of animals, but a seal-clubbing app from PETA was rejected. (In response, PETA Sends Steve Jobs Vegan Chocolate Seals!)

Web accessibility veteran and friend John Foliot of Stanford University tweeted these six “fallacies” from the letter:

1. The H.264 video format is closed & patent encumbered — not open.
2. WebKit is not the most widely deployed mobile browser; that belongs to Opera.
3. HTML5 is not finished & W3C anticipates a few more years before Ready For Prime Time.
4. WHAT WG (the incomplete HTML5) is not open either, it’s by invitation only: whatwg.org/charter
5. Two of the four major browsers do not support H.264. [see above]
6. If Apple is so open, why do they control IApp distribution with an iron fist? They don’t like your app? You’re toast. [see above]

What do you think?

Further reading:

• The Wall Street Journal’s Exclusive Interview With Adobe CEO
• Thoughts on Apple vs. Adobe
• The real reason why Steve Jobs hates Flash

I took the family on a return visit to the Jelly Belly Factory in Fairfield, California (only a 1 1/2 hour drive). Picture of wife and kids at Jelly Belly. Also went to the newly re-opened Happy Hollow Park & Zoo in San Jose. It’s very nice, and we’ll definitely go back soon. Picture of my boys on the Frog Hopper ride. (And we’re off to Humboldt later this week!)

In late March, I attended the CSUN conference in downtown San Diego (Annual International Technology & Persons with Disabilities Conference). I co-presented one session with Joseph O’Connor, Accessibility of Twitter for Mobile, Desktop and Web. It was a great learning experience, and I also met many great folks who I know from the web, especially Twitter. I also spoke at the CSUN Tweetup. Check out my Flickr album from CSUN 2010.

More recently, I was interviewed for a BlindMind.net podcast: Interview with Dennis Lembree, creator of AccessibleTwitter.com & author of web accessibility blog Web Axe.

View from Manchester Grand Hyatt hotel during the CSUN conference in San Diego, California. March 2010.

A couple nights ago, I attended a @twitterapi meetup at the Twitter HQ in downtown San Francisco. It was pretty cool just being there, and great to get updated on the Twitter API while also doing a little networking. It was pretty informal as expected which was good. The Twitter guys basically opened up the floor for questions and comments on the Twitter API. They said “in order for us to succeed, you [the 3rd party developers] need to succeed”. Beer and pizza was served which was cool, and not surprising since there were about 3 women scattered in a sea of 25- to 40 year-old men! There was approximately 150 people in attendance.

Here are some takeaways from the discussion:

• Basic Authentication to be deprecated as soon as June 2010, just a few months away! In favor of Open Auth.
• For non-web clients, xauth is suggested for authentication. You may email “api AT twitter DOT com” to request access.
• A few asked, but they didn’t respond to questions about advertising.
• An address book API is coming soon.
• They plan on using the HTML5 Geolocation feature.
• Enhancing functionality for Favorites in the API is on the list, but not a priority.
• The word “Tweet” is OK to use in an application name as long as the app is solely a Twitter app (does not include other social networking functionality).
• Follow the Twitter API at @twitterapi

I’ve been busy as ever with my side projects and freelance work, especially with Accessible Twitter. In case you missed it from my tweets, here some good links with what I’ve been doing lately:

• Web Axe in BBC Podcast – I was interviewed by the BBC! “Pods & Blogs” hostess dug my Web Axe web accessibility podcast and blog and called me from London.
• EASI Webinar: Twitter And Web Accessibility – I gave a webinar for the first time!
• New press release: Social Media Web App “Accessible Twitter” Enters Beta Status – finally!
• A word with the accessible Dennis Lembree on Accessible Twitter – a little about me and my project.