Re: The eyes have it. Or they don't.

Subject: Re: The eyes have it. Or they don't.
From: shankAtIndiaDotcom <ss_rajanala -at- yahoo -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Tue, 18 May 2004 22:59:41 -0700 (PDT)


Let me see I am got this one right....
> > hand if the semantics of the information is
> actually contained in the page
> > design, then if the design is lacking, the
> semantics will cease to be
> > available at all.

This means, whether the bigger font for the H1 is
big enough (for everyone) to distinguish or not -
a case of inadequate design - it must be clear
from text, the numbering in this instanc, which
is H1 and which is H2.

> a number 1 heading bigger than a number 2
> heading or choosing to start
> headings to the left of the text column (for
> example) is an
> impermissible encoding of information

That sounds reasonable: to give a text only
example, if I have initial caps for H1 and
sentence style for H2 (and no numbering), the
heading level semantics are endangered, as in:

Information Semantics And Design

Using textual indicators to flag semantics
Using design distinctions to flag semantics

> > and of the page design. It helps to ensure
> that semantics are not
> > transferred from content to design, and to
> ensure that page design is
> > applied with complete consistency.

There are two issues here: you have a warning
which shows skull and bones (design), that many
not work everywhere (what if one construes that
to be information related to human biology?)

Now when you say the text should make it clear,
of course it will say something like This Could
Prove Fatal. If it doesn't, then it is not a
warning, and the design element is incorrect (not
inadequate.)

If you mean the text must state WARNING, I am not
sure - it appears odd to those to whom skull and
bones mean danger (not dinner invitation :-)

Any case there are those Document Conventions
wherein we put down these things.

Also, if you are using a courier like font for
code, how do you indicate it is code [independent
of design manipulation?]


=====
Thanks and regards,
Sankara S Rajanala
--------------------------
Visit http://www.vhemt.org/
The world is too much with us...




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References:
Re: The eyes have it. Or they don't.: From: Dick Margulis

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