Re: How 1.4.4 Resize text applies when mobile templates kick in

On 07/11/2016 18:39, Phill Jenkins wrote:
> I also think this is an example of a potential issue where when the
> feature is "built in" to the browser for everyone,  everyone may not use
> it in the same way.  The web site designer is thinking that the better
> experience is for the end user to see the site be more responsive and
> render the narrow phone breakpoint view, while the low vision user is
> just trying to zoom in to see the site better.

But if the site doesn't reflow responsively - as in the case of old 
non-responsive fixed-width sites - all you'd get is horizontal 
scrolling. So I think designers are doing the right thing / browsers are 
doing the right thing...when the user zooms, the *effective* pixel width 
is reduced (zooming in simply scales up each pixel measure), and with 
responsive design authors can define how to best make use of that 
particular width/size of viewport.

What's really at issue is that authors should not completely omit 
content/functionality just because a viewport is smaller. It's a 
usability problem for all users, but disproportionately affects low 
vision users who may be using zoom functionality, so it's an 
accessibility issue?

>  Isn't this really a
> requirement for the user agent (browser) to handle (not the web
> designer) because each user is different and may want a different
> reaction to the zooming?  As we say, one size does not fit all.  In
> other words, some users will want the zooming to NOT trigger the
> responsive design to kick-in, other users WILL want it to respond at the
> same zoom and width.  Users may want the experience on some site and not
> on others BECAUSE it may depend on that site's particular design vs
> always having the zoom feature trigger it.

So that would require all UAs to implement a different new zoom 
mechanism. In the meantime, authors would need to build some form of 
"zoom, but not responsively" mechanism into their sites? Not quite sure 
that'd be the best way forward, compared to a fairly straightforward 
"don't completely omit content/functionality at different breakpoints as 
it will affect all users and particularly LV users with zoom"

P
-- 
Patrick H. Lauke

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Received on Monday, 7 November 2016 20:22:49 UTC