This is not just an issue for older browsers, or browsers other than
the two majors. Many users turn off JavaScript and Java due to
legitimate security concerns. Now, I haven't seen Java on the new
site, but there is a LOT of JavaScript. Even for those users who
don't turn it off themselves, I've worked with sites where their
firewall or proxy server strips all scripting before the user gets the
site. Usually because the corporate security policy calls for it.
Now, I don't have anything against JavaScript, or image rollovers,
etc. In fact, I LIKE them - I think they really improve the look of a
site and the feedback to the user. But I'm not on the W3C WGs for
accessability for nothing - I believe that fallbacks should be in
place. I don't see any huge images on the homepage now - others were
complaining I see (I jumped on the list when I discovered the new
site, so see what was being said). Perhaps they were removed - the
site loads very fast for me at work, and the WebTechs evaluator gives
it good times now.
I'm just somewhat upset that the basic errors were overlooked - it
used to be that the site was tested in NS 2.x, 3.x, 4.x, MSIE 4.x,
Lynx (usually several versions), and even XMosaic. I can see dropping
XMosaic these days, it was always buggy and even the last version
could choke on perfectly valid things.
See:
<URL:http://validator.w3.org/check?uri=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.livingston.com%2F&ss=&outline=&sp=>
For accessability see:
<URL:http://udl.cast.org/bobby?URL=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.livingston.com%2F&browser=HTML+4.0&output=Submit>
And from WebTechs:
WebTechs
Validator Response
Generated by: http://valsvc.webtechs.com/
Document checked: http://www.livingston.com/
Date checked: Wed Jul 22 15:52:29 98
Option settings: Level 4 (Transitional), Treat URL Ampersand
Document Weight
Document download time is calculated using favorable conditions. Due to the nature of the Internet, the following numbers are
only approximations of the actual download time.
Weight
Estimated Download Time
18654 Bytes
14.4 modem
12.95 seconds
28.8 modem
6.48 seconds
56.6 modem
3.30 seconds
Validation Errors
line 11: required attribute "TYPE" not specified
line 42: required attribute "TYPE" not specified
line 295: there is no attribute "NAME"
line 355: required attribute "ALT" not specified
line 357: required attribute "ALT" not specified
line 370: there is no attribute "WIDTH"
line 370: there is no attribute "HEIGHT"
line 370: there is no attribute "HSPACE"
line 370: there is no attribute "BORDER"
line 371: required attribute "ACTION" not specified
line 373: "NAME" is not a member of a group specified for any attribute
line 373: "PRODUCTS" is not a member of a group specified for any attribute
line 374: "NAME" is not a member of a group specified for any attribute
line 374: "PRODUCTS" is not a member of a group specified for any attribute
line 375: "NAME" is not a member of a group specified for any attribute
line 375: "PRODUCTS" is not a member of a group specified for any attribute
line 376: "NAME" is not a member of a group specified for any attribute
line 376: "PRODUCTS" is not a member of a group specified for any attribute
line 377: "NAME" is not a member of a group specified for any attribute
line 377: "PRODUCTS" is not a member of a group specified for any attribute
line 378: "NAME" is not a member of a group specified for any attribute
line 378: "PRODUCTS" is not a member of a group specified for any attribute
line 379: "NAME" is not a member of a group specified for any attribute
line 379: "PRODUCTS" is not a member of a group specified for any attribute
line 380: "NAME" is not a member of a group specified for any attribute
line 380: "PRODUCTS" is not a member of a group specified for any attribute
line 381: "NAME" is not a member of a group specified for any attribute
line 381: "PRODUCTS" is not a member of a group specified for any attribute
line 382: "NAME" is not a member of a group specified for any attribute
line 382: "PRODUCTS" is not a member of a group specified for any attribute
line 383: "NAME" is not a member of a group specified for any attribute
line 383: "PRODUCTS" is not a member of a group specified for any attribute
line 384: "NAME" is not a member of a group specified for any attribute
line 384: "PRODUCTS" is not a member of a group specified for any attribute
line 385: "NAME" is not a member of a group specified for any attribute
line 385: "PRODUCTS" is not a member of a group specified for any attribute
I think the site can work, the content still seems to be there and in
relatively the same location, it is really a cosmetic change. But some
of the obvious links are hidden in pop-ups now, and functionality for all
browsers has suffered. If those get addressed I think it would work
better.
Just don't let any marketing folks make them add MORE images or scripting,
that would just degrade things.
-MZ
-- <URL:mailto:megazone@megazone.org> Gweep, Discordian, Author, Engineer, me.. Join ISP/C Internet Service Providers' Consortium <URL:http://www.ispc.org/> "A little nonsense now and then, is relished by the wisest men" 781-788-0130 <URL:http://www.gweep.net/> <URL:http://www.megazone.org/> Hail Discordia! - To unsubscribe, email 'majordomo@livingston.com' with 'unsubscribe portmaster-users' in the body of the message. Searchable list archive: <URL:http://www.livingston.com/Tech/archive/>