[Accessibility_sig] question: are there any "safe" access keys?

[Karl Groves]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Jon Gibbins (dotjay) [mailto:dotjay at november5th.net] 
> Sent: Thursday, February 22, 2007 4:58 AM
> To: Discussion list for web and software accessibility issues
> Subject: Re: [Accessibility_sig] question: are there any 
> "safe" access keys?
> 
> Erik Fruin wrote:
> <snip>
> 
> > I side with the group that thinks that the author of a web 
> page should 
> > have a mechanism to specify the sections/functionality in 
> the page or 
> > web site and leave the specific key bindings up to the user.
> 
> <snip>
> 
> > This scenario allows the user the freedom to assign keys 
> that do not 
> > conflict with their browser or AT and frees up the author from 
> > possible conflicts.
> 
> <snip>
> 
> Agreed Erik.
> 
> There's also the fact that users are going to want to use 
> similar, if not the same, access keys settings across several 
> or all sites. Imagine having to remember many different sets 
> of access keys for the sites you visit regularly.
> 
> A hook in Web pages for browsers to attach key bindings to is 
> a good thing. Allowing Web page authors to set a user's 
> preference for them is not useful to people.
> 
> Jon


Expecting users to specify their own access keys for each site they visit is
unrealistic.
In fact, it is just as unrealistic as expecting them to learn new access
keys defined by the site.

Perhaps an alternative would be for the W3C to amend the spec so that access
keys could be defined by standardizing the <link> element and access keys
for each of the valid values for 'rel'.
Then, of course, we're left with questions of browser support and web author
usage of that element.

Karl Groves