Accessibility Issues with the LoCo Directory and Ubuntu Website

[Charlie Kravetz]

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On Mon, 29 Nov 2010 09:48:36 -0500
Penelope Stowe <pstowe at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hiya,
> 
> I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend.
> 
> I've been talking to the developers of the LoCo Directory and the
> Ubuntu Website and they're very frustrated with the bugs and
> complaints about accessibility on the website, not because they don't
> want to do anything, but because they are not in charge of design
> issues, that is something the design team should be addressing and the
> design team is not subscribed to the LoCo Directory and Ubuntu Website
> bugs.
> 
> Several things have come out of this conversation:
> 
> 1) I've agreed to ask the accessibility team to stop filing bugs
> directly against the LoCo Directory and Ubuntu Website since it's not
> helping anything and just causing more frustration.
> 
> 2) Michael Hall has created
> https://launchpad.net/ubuntu-website/light-a11y-theme as a place for
> accessibility related website/LoCo directory bugs to be logged. I hope
> and encourage the design team members who focus on the website design
> to subscribe to these bugs.
> 
> 3) The other option is to use the Ayatana mailing list or e-mail the
> design team members directly, however, do remember to be polite and
> not overload the list or team. I would like to have one person on the
> accessibility team who is a point-of-contact for website issues to
> avoid mailbox flooding. I'd like volunteers, however, I think it would
> be best if the volunteer were to be in the UK or in a time zone close
> to GMT so that they have a better chance of being able to interact
> with the design team in real time if necessarily.
> 
> 4) It's brought up a clear need for some communication with the design
> team on how to get the guidelines for website design to fit in with
> accessibility needs, since they so clearly don't at the moment. I know
> this makes it a complicated and long process, however, I think it's
> the best plan to get this issue fixed in the long term. Otherwise, the
> same discussions will come up on every bit of the Ubuntu website every
> time something changes and just be more and more frustrating for
> everyone.
> 
> Please also remember in this process that the design team is made up
> of human beings. They are largely only available during work hours in
> the UK Monday-Friday so do not get impatient if there is no answer to
> your e-mails on weekends or evenings. They have a lot of work to do
> and we are only one part of that.
> 
> I hope this can lead to some progress on the issues with the website
> as it is important for people's first impressions of accessibility in
> Ubuntu (since if they can't access the website, why would they think
> they could use the operating system?) and because it is very obviously
> an area that is causing a lot of frustration.
> 
> Thanks,
> Penelope
> 

It would have been nice if you had told me this upfront. Apparently,
filing bugs against any design team/website project is bad and I won't
do it again. Since I seem to be the one making waves, I will stop
trying to get that fixed.

- -- 
Charlie Kravetz 
Linux Registered User Number 425914          [http://counter.li.org/]
Never let anyone steal your DREAM.           [http://keepingdreams.com]
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