Blind vs. mainstream distros

[Linux for blind general discussion]

Tony Baechler here.

I'm sorry, but while your statement is true on paper, in reality, it's 
wrong. I know for a fact that Microsoft pays a huge amount of money into the 
W3C. I believe they are represented on the board. It isn't just them. Lots 
of big companies pay into them. I saw the list once many years ago.

Even if what you say is correct, just because the W3C makes rules which 
should become policy doesn't mean the rules are actually followed. How many 
inaccessible sites have you found lately? Even when their guidelines are 
followed, that doesn't always guarantee accessibility. There are automated 
tools which claim sites pass the W3C guidelines all the time, so companies 
think they're off the hook. I've read various developer blogs which say the 
WCAG is broken. Yes, the W3C does create web standards, but the web 
accessibility guidelines are just that, guidelines. They're not standards 
and nothing happens in the US if they aren't followed. Even so, Microsoft 
hasn't followed web standards for years, since the dawn of IE.

It's worth noting that in the UK, it is illegal for companies not to make 
their sites accessible. While our ADA should enforce this, it doesn't and 
the DOJ seems in no hurry to do much about it. In the UK, companies have 
been sued for not making their sites accessible and were forced to comply. 
I've visited several UK-based sites and I've noticed that they are almost 
always more accessible.

On 4/24/2017 8:18 AM, Linux for blind general discussion wrote:
> I am karen lewellen.
> Just a couple of points before I go back  into the corner.  Now that the
> stuff is technical.
> 1 out of every 8 computers in the world still uses windows xp...many fear
> changing what they understand for what they do not.
> As for accessibility, its implementation and otherwise,  the w3c creates
> those rules and they in turn become public policy.  The challenges come in
> though where a few decide this means creating access for themselves, instead
> of following the general rules here, creating an open door for everyone.
> www.w3c.org/wai
> Karen