Horribly OT - PC Advice

[The Natural Philosopher]

However they can get remarkably CLOSE.

However the solution to this problem is VMWARE. One machine running half a dozen OS's and browers.

[The Natural Philosopher]

second rate scientist..first rate scientists are aware of how relative and limited all knowledge actually is.

[The Natural Philosopher]

Er, no, it doesn't.

A web site needs to be usable and attractive to its *target audience*.

If those happen to be a bunch of windows users on IE6, and you are selling binoculars, having it braille compatible matters not one jot.

ER, no. You are simply revealing your naivety and ignorance, and purist bias here.

I don't expect to be able to run a video stream from a US TV station over a 2400 baud dial up connection to a Sinclair Spectrum...running a text only browser. Sorry.

Corporate - and private - web sites are there to do what their owners want, for people who want to access them. Its a two way street. If they make their sites too inaccessible and specific, they will put off users, conversely if their sites are so useful and appealing, the users will equip themselves with what they need.

The fact is that 99.99% of people are running Miozilla/Firefox/Netscape/IE on their machines..and may be expected to have at least 800x600 screens..and a connection speed of at least 56K.

The other 0.01% are only of interest to purists. Its their tough shit if they can't get one of the mainstream browsers up and running, and, apart from government sites dealing with the disabled, there is no reason why what is after all visual communication medium, should be adapted to the needs of those who can't actually see. Thats is a specific target market, and sites intending to address it will, of course, take their own precautions to make sure that it is addressed properly.

I assume you are one of those people who think that every airliner ought to have disabled access to the cockpit and controls to allow parity of opportunity to deaf dumb and blind ex-pinball players in wheelchairs, for the purpose of taking responsibility for a cabin full of fee paying passengers on transatlantic flights

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[The Natural Philosopher]

Which in the end is all that matters.

[John Cartmell]

If the target audience is the general public (see my "A web site in a public forum") then there is legislation involved.

Crass comment. Presumably you also don't expect the visually disabled to buy presents?

Yes. A 'designer' who leads his client into bad publicity and possible legal action is a liability.

Straw argument.

And high street shops that refuse guide dogs and wheel chair access risk more than lost customers.

[Snip]