[thelist] Section 508 Screensaver

[Kasimir K]

Paul Bennett scribeva in 2005-05-23 21:08:
> ok, now that I've actually reserached, I see that the US section 508 applies to 'information technology' in general and not just to the web like WAI.
> 
> Sooooo, maybe someone could help me understand what would make a screensaver 'inaccessible'? To me this is the scenario:
> 
> 1. Leave computer for a while
> 2. Screensaver comes on to avoid you burning out yer pixels
> 3. Come back, touch a key, move the mouse (basically nudge/tap the input devices in ANY way)
> 4. Screensaver goes away
> 
> On a corporate network you then also generally need to log back in. 
> 
> So I don't see how any type of screensaver would in any way make information inaccessible.... does anyone put enormously important info of any kind in a screensaver?

I'd say it's at points 3 & 4: if the screensaver does require the usual 
key touch or mouse move, but doesn't understand any other type of input 
(e.g. voice). Yes, there's no info on the screensaver, but if a user 
without mouse and keyboard can't make it go away, then it is seriously 
blocking access to information.

So a section 508 compliant screensaver does not watch for mouse and 
keyboard but user input in general.

.k