[gui-talk] Fwd: Windows Presentation Foundation in Windows Vista and its Runtime for Windows XP.Impact of Microsoft Windows Vista concerns for low vision

[Steve Pattison]

>From: JOHN HEDGES jhedges at aph.org
>
>To Whom It May Concern:
>
>The following are technical comments on the curretn Vista Beta 2 and
>Visual Studio Orca software.Please forward this to all who may be
>interested.
>
>Windows Presentation Foundation in Windows Vista and its Runtime for
>Windows XP.
>
>The Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) using XAML (XML Application
>Markup Language) looks like the major programming user intervace (UI)
>for the next generation of applications (code named avalon). The XAML
>window layout file format is similar in concept to html. This includes
>setting forground and background colors at design time. This leaves out
>system theme color support and programatic color selection at runtime.
>The way html is handled in this scenario is to hack the CSS (Cascading
>Style Sheet) process to (1) ignore color on the page (accessibility
>option) and (2) select use system colors (or spec your own color
>choices). In this hack, the designer background images are also turned
>off, thus loosing some visual content.
>
>The lack of automatic runtime color scheme usage like Windows classic
>high contrast black and full support of themes as found in Windows Forms
>.Net Framework programs is a very BIG hole in low vision accessibility.
>WPF needs revizing to avoid the accessibility hack described above for
>HTML. WPF does offer a SystemColor object with theme color support, but
>this is not automatic for standard controls. It would be necessary to
>add this support in every case to the program, thus leaving
>accessibility  for visual access to the individual developer. The
>promise of good accessibility for blind users through the new UI
>Automation process does not negate the visual functionality needed by so
>many users, like aging baby boomers and those with functional vision
>impariment.
>
>FOr Microsoft to start another platform migration as significant as
>going from Windows 3.1 to Windows 95 must be designed from the ground up
>with visual accessibility. Microsoft needs to change the Windows
>Presentation Foundation paradym immediately and restore the decade long
>features gained by accessibility engineering and work from so many
>MIcrosoft teams like the Access Technology Group (ATG).
>
>John Hedges
>APH
>jhedges at aph.org


Regards Steve
Email:  srp at internode.on.net
Skype:  steve1963
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