W3C

Results of Questionnaire UAWG Survey for 27 August

The results of this questionnaire are available to anybody. In addition, answers are sent to the following email addresses: w3c-archive@w3.org, jeanne@w3.org

This questionnaire was open from 2009-08-26 to 2009-09-04.

9 answers have been received.

Jump to results for question:

  1. proposal for adding test conditions to the Definition of User Agent
  2. proposal for defining a plugin or extention of a User Agent
  3. proposal for test conditions for Generated User Agent

1. proposal for adding test conditions to the Definition of User Agent

From a proposal from Simon Harper. Email comments

Current:

none

Proposed

If the following three conditions are met then it is a Primary User Agent and Must Conform to UAAG:
1) If it is a standalone application; and
2) If it interprets any w3c specified language; and
3) If it provides a user interface or interprets either a procedural or declarative language that may be used to provide a user interface.

Summary

ChoiceAll responders
Results
Accept the proposal 5
Recommend changes (see comments field)
The proposal needs more discussion (see comments field) 3
Disagree with the proposal
Neutral - will accept the consensus of the group 1

Details

Responder proposal for adding test conditions to the Definition of User AgentComments
Kimberly Patch Accept the proposal
David Tseng David Tseng The proposal needs more discussion (see comments field) I agree with this; however, I'm wondering beyond web browsers, what remains as a primary user agent. Browsers on each platform interpret HTML and abstract it into an object tree--this could be a DOM, an accessibility interface implementation, etc. The HTML itself could have came from a server that dynamically generates the HTML based on higher level languages (PHP, ASP.net, etc.). The browser could also have other engines to interpret other syntaxes (java script being one).

Accessibility software consumes these interfaces to present material to the user. However, the "entry point" into the user interface seems always to be the browser.
Simon Harper Accept the proposal
David Poehlman Accept the proposal we must rule out non user agents. does this do that?
Jeanne F Spellman Neutral - will accept the consensus of the group
Markku Hakkinen The proposal needs more discussion (see comments field) Regarding 1): UA's may be embedded within other applications. This is a common practice. The end user may not recognize the embedded browser as such, since it may be used to display help, formatted text, or a dialog. Not a primary User Agent in this case. Embedded User Agent is one possible term, but what it really means, IMO, User Agent as Rendering/UI Component in Other Applications.
Henny Swan Accept the proposal
Jim Allan Accept the proposal
Kelly Ford The proposal needs more discussion (see comments field) I don't like the stand alone aspect.

2. proposal for defining a plugin or extention of a User Agent

From a proposal from Simon Harper. Email comments

Current:

none

Proposed

If the following two conditions are met then it is a User Agent Extension or Plug-In and Must Conform to UAAG:
1) If it is launched by, or extends the functionality of, a Primary User Agent; and
2) If post-launch user interaction either becomes part of, or is within the bounds of, the Primary User Agent.

Summary

ChoiceAll responders
Results
Accept the proposal 6
Recommend changes (see comments field) 2
The proposal needs more discussion (see comments field) 1
Disagree with the proposal
Neutral - will accept the consensus of the group

Details

Responder proposal for defining a plugin or extention of a User AgentComments
Kimberly Patch Accept the proposal
David Tseng David Tseng Accept the proposal
Simon Harper Accept the proposal
David Poehlman Accept the proposal
Jeanne F Spellman Recommend changes (see comments field) 2) needs more clarification. An example might help.
Markku Hakkinen The proposal needs more discussion (see comments field) This would apply also to the embedded UA.
Henny Swan Accept the proposal
Jim Allan Recommend changes (see comments field) 1) If it is launched by, or extends the functionality of, a Primary User Agent user interface.

don't understand "post-launch" I think it means an embedded player.
Kelly Ford Accept the proposal

3. proposal for test conditions for Generated User Agent

From a proposal from Simon Harper. Email comments

Current:

none

Proposed

If the following three conditions are met then it is a Generated User Agent (with inaccessible interface) and Must Conform to UAAG:
1) If the user interface is generated by the interpretation of either a procedural or declarative language; and
2) If this interpretation is by a Primary User Agent, User Agent Extension or Plug-In; and
3) If user interaction is not passed to and from the Primary User Agent, User Agent Extension or Plug-In, or if user interaction does not modify the Document Object Model of its containing document.

Summary

ChoiceAll responders
Results
Accept the proposal 3
Recommend changes (see comments field) 2
The proposal needs more discussion (see comments field) 3
Disagree with the proposal
Neutral - will accept the consensus of the group 1

Details

Responder proposal for test conditions for Generated User AgentComments
Kimberly Patch Accept the proposal
David Tseng David Tseng The proposal needs more discussion (see comments field)
Simon Harper Recommend changes (see comments field) Change Generated User Agent as per Jan's Email
David Poehlman The proposal needs more discussion (see comments field) This looks fine but needs to coincide with the user agent description.
Jeanne F Spellman Recommend changes (see comments field) 1) remove "inaccessible interface"
2) I prefer Jan's suggestion of "Web-based User Agent"
Markku Hakkinen The proposal needs more discussion (see comments field) Can a generated UA have an accessible interface, where is the definition?
Henny Swan Accept the proposal
Jim Allan Neutral - will accept the consensus of the group
Kelly Ford Accept the proposal

More details on responses

  • Kimberly Patch: last responded on 26, August 2009 at 21:13 (UTC)
  • David Tseng David Tseng: last responded on 26, August 2009 at 23:48 (UTC)
  • Simon Harper: last responded on 27, August 2009 at 07:59 (UTC)
  • David Poehlman: last responded on 27, August 2009 at 12:43 (UTC)
  • Jeanne F Spellman: last responded on 27, August 2009 at 12:50 (UTC)
  • Markku Hakkinen: last responded on 27, August 2009 at 16:15 (UTC)
  • Henny Swan: last responded on 27, August 2009 at 16:40 (UTC)
  • Jim Allan: last responded on 27, August 2009 at 16:55 (UTC)
  • Kelly Ford: last responded on 27, August 2009 at 17:10 (UTC)

Everybody has responded to this questionnaire.


Compact view of the results / list of email addresses of the responders

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