[thechat] Help keep accessibility and semantics in HTML

[David Kaufman]

Hi Jeffrey!

Jeffrey Barke <jeffrey.barke at themechanism.com> wrote:
> [Sorry, not sure if this should go to thelist, thechat, or neither.]

I think this *definitely* belongs on theList -- it goes to the very 
heart of what evolt.org is about!  What matters more to web 
professionals and hobbyists than the HTML standard itself?  Hell, I 
think this belongs on the evolt homepage!

> I was naive enough to think that everybody joining the HTML WG would
> be doing so out of a desire to improve the Web. Unfortunately, that
> does not seem to be the case [and]  if nothing is done, [HTML 5] will
> do nothing to improve the Web...

Please do post about this on theList.  I think most, if not all, evolt 
readers would be interested in hearing what's going on at the W3C, 
especially the evolution of HTML itself.  It's what we all have to 
contend with on a day-to-day basis, no less than sculptors must contend 
with clay, and politicians with Debate! (Okay, maybe pork-barrel 
projects and secret, backroom sweetheart deals...)!  Point is, I think 
every evolter would be listening, if what's going on were made a little 
less indigestible that typical W3C.

> So, if you have an interest in improving the accessibility of HTML,
> want more semantic and less presentational markup, and are good at
> arguing your case, apply for HTML Working Group membership by
> following the instructions for joining the HTML Working Group [2]. Do
> it now.
>
> http://www.w3.org/2004/01/pp-impl/40318/instructions

At $6,500/year it's unfortunate that evolt can't afford to join the W3C 
as a member *organiztion*.  It certainly seems an appropriate membership 
for us to seek.  And it appears (from just a brief read) that if 
evolt.org did join as a non-profit, all our organization's members could 
participate in the HTML Working Group's discussions, workshops and other 
activities.  Let's see, in our case, who would that be, our "members"? 
I'm thinkin' anyone subscribed to theList :-)

Better yet, Jeffrey, If you'd like to sift some of the wheat from all 
that beauracratic chaff, and submit an article for the evolt.org website 
about this topic, specifically what you think is going wrong (or right!) 
in the HTML WG, or just hepl to illuminate evolters who can join, how to 
join, and why we all should participate, then (with all the 
self-promoting SEO article submissions we've been getting recently) it 
would surely surely stand out as one of the most higly relevent articles 
evolt.org could publish!

I'd also expect that many of the website's visitors (in addition to 
subscribers on theList) who are web experts might decide to get involved 
as a result (and, you know, maybe actually make a difference!)

Also, the webite's (recently bumped) 9/10 Google PageRank (!) means that 
such an article, front and center, may give your call to action a much 
deserved, and much wider reach!

Thanks,

-dave