[thelist] Who really turns off JavaScript?

Mark Groen evolt at markgroen.com
Sat Nov 5 01:15:43 CST 2005


Methinks the 100% is pretty close to the mark for PC's. Today
Windows[1], Mac[2], and Linux[3] all come with assistive technology[4]
built right in or obtainable[5]

Software like JAWS[6] handle a fair amount of javascript, and there is a
lot more assistive technologies[7] available than a few years ago, and
if they aren't Javascript aware, they at least degrade it gracefully
themselves in most cases.

The original post was 'who uses javscript?' - and not a post on how to
use it responsibly by testing your code on as many platforms as possible
and being aware, (if it's needed, like a govt. site or you don't want to
turn off potential customers), that alternatives such as noscript tags
and plain html site map lists etc. are available and gernerally accepted
BOBBY[8] rules etc. are adhered to, but I digress....

....did a quick survey of some blind people, (live next door to a
Canadian National Institute for the Blind retreat), and the biggest
barrier to internet access was the same as it is everywhere - COST - and
not the technology itself, (most blind people are poor too). Even po'
folk like me can make do and find free software that does what they want
on older operating systems if we get the $ together for a boxen and
access. And, for now, even Micorsoft supports a browser for it's Win98
system(IE6.x) that handles javascript and is turned on by default, and I
leave it on but use Firefox anyways, I like tabbed browsing. Not all
it's stuff works on older OS's, just as some web services like Google
Maps don't work everywhere either :-(

Third world countries have old equipment too, but I bet they have
browsers with javascript turned on by default installed on 'em - ergo,
pretty darn close to 100% of SOME sort of Javascript capability and
meybe world-wide, not just the richer countries....

cheers,

        Mark

[1]
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/evaluation/features/accessibility.mspx
[2] http://www.apple.com/accessibility/
[3]
http://dmoz.org/Computers/Software/Operating_Systems/Linux/Projects/Assistive_Technology/
[4] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assistive_Technology
[5] http://www.linux.com/howtos/Accessibility-HOWTO/index.shtml
[6]
http://www.freedomscientific.com/fs_products/software_jaws401newfea.asp
[7] http://www.cnib.ca/tech_aids/
[8] http://webxact.watchfire.com/




More information about the thelist mailing list