Tables of WCAG 1.0 Errata

This is a draft document and does not represent consensus of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines Working Group (WCAG WG) nor the W3C. This document is not final nor complete. This document lists errata that should be considered in a possible revisionof WCAG 1.0 and tracks WCAG WG decisions and discussions of those errata. The WCAG WG is considering publication of a revised version of WCAG 1.0 to make normative changes to the Recommendation as described in Section 7.6 Modifying a W3C Recommendation of the W3C Process document. Please send questions and concerns to the WCAG WG's mailing list: w3c-wai-gl@w3.org.

There are two tables in this document:

  1. Summary of General WCAG 1.0 Errata
  2. Summary of techniques-specific WCAG 1.0 Errata

These summaries contain relevant issues raised in the following resources:

  1. Ian Jacob's summary of issues in (team-only) email from January 2002 Process for publishing WCAG 1.0 w/errata incorporated
  2. Proposed edits to WCAG 1.0 - Wendy Chisholm's summary of known WCAG 1.0 errata as of Feb 2002.
  3. Only one bug in Bugzilla related to WCAG 1.0 errata: Organize documents so they may be read without style sheets
  4. Errata in Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (last content update was 18 Jan 2002. Copyright updated December 2003)

Issues raised in the following resources are not yet included in this summary:

  1. Evaluation and Repair Tools Techniques Issues List - several issues that the ERT WG wanted clarification from the WCAG WG (last updated 07 Jul 2001). Many of these are specific to HTML Techniques and not to Guidelines/Checkpoints.
  2. WAI Web Content Accessibility Guidelines Issues List - 7 open issues. last updated 16 Aug 2001.
  3. [#259] Erratum wording - placeholder text - Michael Cooper proposes an erratum related to placeholder text in form elements. (30 May 2003, w3c-wai-gl). follow-up message after WG discussion.
  4. [Minutes] 3 Jun 2003 WAI Domain meeting - Wendy takes action item to organize the issue walk-through on wcag errata republishing.
  5. Erratum proposal (was: Re: Avoid deprecated features query) - Wendy Chisholm proposes an erratum related to deprecated features of W3C technologies. (04 Jun 2003, w3c-wai-gl)
  6. 19 Jun 2003 - WCAG WG Teleconference Minutes - WCAG WG resolves that Michael's proposal should be added issues list for WCAG 1.0 errata (no discussion of the proposal itself).

Other related resources:

  1. User Agent Support for Accessibility - intended to give authors information about user agent support related to the checkpoints that begin "until user agents." (last updated 03 Aug 2001)
  2. Section 7.6 of W3C Process Document: Modifying a W3C Recommendation (published 1 July 2003)
  3. WCAG 1.0 - Errata Update Needed... - Judy summarizes issues and new process options for the WCAG WG in response to question by Allistair (28 Nov 2003, w3c-wai-gl)

Actions

General Errata

Summary of General WCAG 1.0 Errata
Unique id and short name Description Type of errata WCAG WG accepts or rejects this erratum? Resolution References
1. Update References
  • Replace [WAI-USERAGENT] with UAAG 1.0. Reference as Rec rather than WD.
  • Update ref to latest version of XML (Oct 2000 - rev 2, instead of Feb 1998).
  • Update ref to HTML 4.01 (from HTML 4.0)
  • Update short names and URIs to WAI specs
  • @@go through rest of references to determine which should be updated.
2. Add References
  • Add references to ATAG 1.0 and ATAG 1.0 Techniques?
  • Add reference to UAAG 1.0 techniques?
  • Add references to EOWG materials?

3. Fix PDFs
  • Regenerate PDFs to fix errors. This applies to the following documents:
    • WCAG 1.0
    • WCAG 1.0 Checklist
    • HTML Techniques
    • CSS Techniques
    • Core Techniques
  • Most common error people receive (using Acrobat 5.0) is: There was an error processing a page. There was a problem reading this

    document (110).

  • Loretta Guarino Reid says the PDF is not valid PDF. Can use Web capture to generate new PDFs once have regenerated the HTML.
  • Entry #2 in Errata in Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (printing problems) and Entry #9 (viewing problems)
4. Remove links to "other formats"
  • Follow the UAAG 1.0 model. Do not link to other formats from the top of the document and link to them from WCAG 1.0 FAQ instead.
5. Consistency of punctuation in checkpoints and priorities
  • Most checkpoints have the format: X.Y Checkpoint text. [Priority Z]
  • 2.2's format is: X.Y Checkpoint text. [Priority Z]. (extra period after the priority)
  • 8.1's format is: X.Y Checkpoint text [Priority Z.] (no period at the end of the checkpoint text. period after priority).
  • Bruce Bailey pointed this out April 2001.
6. Clarify that following the guidelines does not guarantee accessibility
  • Comment #1 in email from Eric Hansen to WCAG WG 23 March 1999.
  • Why is Ian including in his list? Was this comment documented in an issues list? Was there resolution in the WCAG WG about this comment? Only other message in the thread is from Charles.
7. Clarify how priorities were assigned to each checkpoint.

8. Meta data conformance schemes
  • Conformance claims, section 5
  • Authors may wish to claim conformance using meta data rather than or in addition to the conformance icons. Refer to Daniel Dardailler's PICS schema. The following example claims Double A conformance:
    <META http-equiv="PICS-Label"
    content='(PICS-1.1
    "http://www.w3.org/wai/wcag-conformance"
    labels exp "1999.12.31" for
    "http://www.foo.com/foo.html"
    by "jow@foo.com"
    ratings (c 1))'>
  • Entry #7 in Errata in Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
  • This is from 2000. Supplement (or replace) the PICS example with an RDF example, or EARL, or html meta (use "link" to associate a conformance claim?).
9. Emphasize that order of checkpoints does not effect priority Daniel Dardieller (18 May 1999) suggested that we explicitly state that the order of the checkpoints does not mean that 1.1 is more important than 14.1. (He also suggests reordering the checkpoints, since people will continue to think that order matters. However, propose that if we address his comment we only focus on the clarification about order and do not attempt to reorder a revised WCAG 1.0, although it is something to consider in WCAG 2.0).
10. Deprecate Checkpoint 1.5
  • 1.5 Until user agents render text equivalents for client-side image map links, provide redundant text links for each active region of a client-side image map.
  • Visual rendering is not consistently provided in new UAs, but client-side proxies are available. Does this mean we can deprecate this checkpoint?
11. Deprecate Checkpoint 7.4
  • 7.4 Until user agents provide the ability to stop the refresh, do not create periodically auto-refreshing pages.
  • Many current browsers allow users to configure refresh options. Is implementation widespread enough that we can deprecate this checkpoint?
  • TTF will investigate.
12. Deprecate Checkpoint 7.5
  • 7.5 Until user agents provide the ability to stop auto-redirect, do not use markup to redirect pages automatically. Instead, configure the server to perform redirects.
  • Many current browsers allow users to configure redirect options. Is implementation widespread enough that we can deprecate this checkpoint?
  • TTF will investigate.
13. Deprecate Checkpoint 10.1
  • 10.1 Until user agents allow users to turn off spawned windows, do not cause pop-ups or other windows to appear and do not change the current window without informing the user.
  • Many applications provide this service. Widespread enough that we can deprecate?
14. Deprecate Checkpoint 10.2
  • 10.2 Until user agents support explicit associations between labels and form controls, for all form controls with implicitly associated labels, ensure that the label is properly positioned.
  • Many applications support explicit association (i.e., html:label/for). Deprecate this checkpoint?
  • Incorporate clarification from Errata: The note for checkpoint 10.2 should be reworded to say, "A label for a text area, a text input control or group of controls (e.g., a group of checkboxes) must immediately precede its control (or group of controls) on the same line (if there is only one control or group) or be in the line preceding the control (or group of controls). Refer also to checkpoint 12.4."
  • Entry #6 in Errata in Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
Deprecation
15. Deprecate Checkpoint 10.3
  • 10.3 Until user agents (including assistive technologies) render side-by-side text correctly, provide a linear text alternative (on the current page or some other) for all tables that lay out text in parallel, word-wrapped columns.
  • Tables are read appropriately by screen readers and some browser also provide table navigation mechanisms. Deprecate?
16. Deprecate Checkpoint 10.4
  • 10.4 Until user agents handle empty controls correctly, include default, place-holding characters in edit boxes and text areas.
  • This issue seemed to disapear soon after WCAG 1.0 was published. Deprecate?
17. Deprecate Checkpoint 10.5
  • 10.5 Until user agents (including assistive technologies) render adjacent links distinctly, include non-link, printable characters (surrounded by spaces) between adjacent links. [Priority 3]
  • Does the inclusion of spaces conflict with Chinese typographic conventions? Rick Jelliffe, 19 May 1999
  • If not deprecated, clarify where "spaces" are appropriate in the given written language. (for distinguishing information)
  • Don't know of a browser or assistive technology where this is still an issue. Deprecate?
18. Deprecate Checkpoint 13.6
  • 13.6 Group related links, identify the group (for user agents), and, until user agents do so, provide a way to bypass the group.
  • There is not a standard way to identify a group of links and for user agents to bypass that group. Perhaps remove the until user agents clause since user agents not likely to implement soon. Perhaps also remove "identify the group (for user agents)" - since there is not a standard way to identify a group of links? Perhaps also remove "group related links" - could mean, "if i have related links i have to put them all together." that is not what we are trying to say. we are saying, if you have a group of links (that are repetitive), provide a way to bypass the group.
19. Fix checkpoint 1.3
  • 1.3 Until user agents can automatically read aloud the text equivalent of a visual track, provide an auditory description of the important information of the visual track of a multimedia presentation.
  • Replace "auditory description" with "audio description"
  • Remove phrase "Until user agents can automatically read aloud the text equivalent of a visual track" since user agents are not likely to do soon and it makes the checkpoint confusing.
21. Fix checkpoint 7.1
  • 7.1 Until user agents allow users to control flickering, avoid causing the screen to flicker.
  • Remove the phrase, "Until user agents allow users to control flickering"
  • Replace "avoid" with something less ambiguous (minimize? Do not cause flicker in an image that is larger than X by Y pixels??)
22. Fix checkpoint 7.2
  • 7.2 Until user agents allow users to control blinking, avoid causing content to blink (i.e., change presentation at a regular rate, such as turning on and off).
  • Remove "Until user agents allow users to control blinking,"
  • Replace "avoid" with something less ambiguous.
23. Fix checkpoint 7.3
  • 7.3 Until user agents allow users to freeze moving content, avoid movement in pages.
  • Remove "Until user agents allow users to freeze moving content"
  • Replace "avoid" with something less ambiguous (minimize?)
24. Run .html through tidy to produce xhtml
25. Fix broken links to external sites
26. Update Wendy C affiliation should be changed to: (Trace until 1999, then W3C)
27. Define "text element"
  • Ian Jacobs says: "non-text element" is used in 1.1 normatively and never defined. What is defined: "text element": An element that causes text characters to be part of the document is called a text element.
  • Proposed: Add UAAG 1.0 clarification about what a non-text element is; define it (since not in wcag 1.0).
28. Acknowledge that there is a bug for XML in relation to checkpoint 6.1
  • XML is not "viewable" without style sheets.
  • Add a note to the spec (for checkpoint 6.1) that acknowledges this bug for XML and will be addressed in WCAG 2.0.
  • Bugzilla bug# 166
29. Incorporate erratum #1 - typo in Status section Typo
30. Clarification of the rationale for Guideline 1.
  • The rationale for Guideline 1 says "...Synthesized speech is critical for individuals who are blind and for many people with the reading difficulties that often accompany cognitive disabilities, learning disabilities, and deafness...." It should say, "Synthesized speech is critical for individuals who are blind and for many people with reading difficulties."
  • Entry #4 in Errata in Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
31. Relative units and sizing of images.
  • The note for Checkpoint 3.3 should say something about the effect of proportional sizing on raster images as follows: "Use relative rather than absolute units in markup language attribute values and style sheet property values. [Priority 2] For example, in CSS, use 'em' or percentage lengths rather than 'pt' or 'cm', which are absolute units. If absolute units are used, validate that the rendered content is usable (refer to the section on validation). For example, do not proportionally size raster images."
  • Entry #5 in Errata in Web Content Accessibility Guidelines
32. Text in images - clarification of checkpoint 3.1
33.

Techniques-specific issues

Summary of techniques-specific WCAG 1.0 Errata
Unique id and short name Description Type of errata WCAG WG accepts or rejects this erratum? Resolution References
T1. Problems with viewing the text in Netscape 4.01 Unable to recreate this error. Described in email from Jan 2000. @@Look at CSS and HTML for markup error.
T2. See source code instead of document Unable to recreate this error. Described in email from Nov 2001. Don't know which browser the person used, other than on a Mac.
T3.Space in 'alt' attribute problematic w.r.t. HTML 4.01 Null alt-text has emerged as the favored method (rather than a space in alt-text). Replace mention of "space" in alt-text with "null alt-text."
T4. Improve in-page navigation More links from content to the top of the page. As described in email from David Croft May 2001.
T5. Shorten links that span multiple lines Long links are difficult to read when text size is increased. As described in email from David Croft May 2001.
T6. Fix acronym example (HTML-TECHS) Debate that "WWW" is not an acronym, but an abbreviation. "An acronym can be pronounced, not just spelled, while an abbreviation can only be spelled." As described in email from Christian Hujer October 2001.
T7. Update HTML examples for XHTML (HTML-TECHS) Include closing tags such as </tr> and </td> as described in email from Charles McCathieNevile December 2001 (sent to team-only mailing list).
T8. List examles in order of best to use. Perhaps add an "index" at the beginning of each section to show which examples should be used in which cases. Also, stress that deprecated examples are to be avoided.
T9. Fix "Generated Content" section (of CSS-TECHS)
  • Is there DOM2 access of CSS generated content? (currently says no access in DOM1, update for DOM2?)
  • Is there a way to include alt-text for an image via CSS (using :before or :after or ??)
T10. Reformat examples - some are too wide.
T11. Fix example for 11.1 in CSS-TECHS
  • State clearly in deprecated example that all examples are deprecated (in 11.1)
  • Make clearer that the two images that are next to each other are *related*.
  • Provide an example of what TO do.
T12. Resources for directly accessible applets (HTML-TECHS) Refer to Peter Korn's last call comments from March 1999 which refer to section 8.2 Directly accessible applets of HTML-TECHS.
T13. Fix HTTP status code (HTML-TECHS)
  • Comments from Nir Dagan March 1999
  • Typo: must/much
  • Propose to recommend to use the appropriate HTTP status code rather than recommending the usage of "server side redirects".
T14. Replace /span with /dd in example in section 13 Typo
T15. Fix broken link to PDF

Changes to make to errata page

Errata not included

Ian sent a list of possible errata to the WAI domain (team-only link). Not all of these seem relevant anymore. A few examples:


$Date: 2004/01/14 22:33:29 $ Wendy Chisholm