[Design] localization/accessibility built-in not added-on

Mon, 21 Oct 2002 10:54:00 -0400

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I agree with Jeremy.
I just wanted to point out a real economic/legal barrier to open source.

Making an application conform with the a-l provisions listed in my previous
email will also allow easy navigation with voice input systems.  I would not
try and make your application stand-alone accessible, it should make its
information available along with the context surrounding the information, to
assistive technology API's, which are then used by other assistive
technologies to provide alternate display/input methods independent of the
application.  It's like separating content and presentation.

Original:
As well as the accessibility issues Allen discusses, it will also be
important to ensure that localization and translation capabilities are
included in the core product. 

Together with more obvious solutions like resourcing all strings, the
subtleties include

* sort orders and collation sequences
* support for multi-byte character sets
* support for non-Roman character sets, including Chinese and Arabic
* support for right-to-left text - and display layouts

In some of these areas, existing email and PIM clients do
satisfactorily. In others they most certainly don't. 

These features can be very expensive and time-consuming to build in to a
finished product. Even if the initial releases are in U.S. English only,
building a localizable framework means that other (third party?
commercial?) organizations can build out localized versions. 

Oh, and adding to Allen's comment, a voice-driven version would be
really very cool. But that's perhaps another product.

-- Jeremy

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Open Source Applications Foundation "Design" mailing list
http://lists.osafoundation.org/mailman/listinfo/design

Allen Hoffman
IRS:IRAP:Section 508 Project
Voice: 202-283-4207
email: allen.w.hoffman

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<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">I agree with Jeremy.</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">I just wanted to point out a real =
economic/legal barrier to open source.</FONT>
</P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">Making an application conform with the =
a-l provisions listed in my previous email will also allow easy =
navigation with voice input systems.&nbsp; I would not try and make =
your application stand-alone accessible, it should make its information =
available along with the context surrounding the information, to =
assistive technology API's, which are then used by other assistive =
technologies to provide alternate display/input methods independent of =
the application.&nbsp; It's like separating content and =
presentation.</FONT></P>
<BR>

Original:
 As well as the accessibility =
issues Allen discusses, it will also be
 important to ensure that =
localization and translation capabilities are
 included in the core product. =

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Courier New">Together with more obvious =
solutions like resourcing all strings, the</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Courier New">subtleties include</FONT>
</P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Courier New">* sort orders and collation =
sequences</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Courier New">* support for multi-byte =
character sets</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Courier New">* support for non-Roman =
character sets, including Chinese and Arabic</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Courier New">* support for right-to-left =
text - and display layouts</FONT>
</P>

In some of these areas, existing =
email and PIM clients do
 satisfactorily. In others they =
most certainly don't.

These features can be very =
expensive and time-consuming to build in to a
 finished product. Even if the =
initial releases are in U.S. English only,
 building a localizable =
framework means that other (third party?
 commercial?) organizations can =
build out localized versions.

Oh, and adding to Allen's =
comment, a voice-driven version would be
 really very cool. But that's =
perhaps another product.

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Courier New">-- Jeremy</FONT>
</P>
<BR>
<BR>
<BR>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Courier New">_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ =
_ _</FONT>
</P>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Courier New">Open Source Applications =
Foundation &quot;Design&quot; mailing list</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Courier New"><A =
HREF=3D"http://lists.osafoundation.org/mailman/listinfo/design" =
TARGET=3D"_blank">http://lists.osafoundation.org/mailman/listinfo/design=
</A></FONT>
</P>
<BR>
<BR>

<P><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">Allen Hoffman</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">IRS:IRAP:Section 508 Project</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">Voice: 202-283-4207</FONT>
<BR><FONT SIZE=3D2 FACE=3D"Arial">email: allen.w.hoffman</FONT>
</P>
<BR>

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