Re: [Koha-devel] koha 3.0 and accesskey

[Thomas Dukleth]

1. TRANSLATION.

If the existing translation scheme will not work for access keys, should
we not at least have a different translation scheme for access keys using
access key specific variables stored in SQL.


2.  CAUTION ABOUT CONFLICTING ACCESS KEYS AND KEYBOARD PRODUCTIVITY.

Access keys mediated by JavaScript usually break web browser access keys
even when the particular keys chosen are not otherwise conflicting.  I
suppose this problem is caused by poorly designed underlying JavaScript
libraries.  This issue has never happened in any of the JavaScript code I
wrote myself without using anyone else's underlying libraries.  However, I
never have written JavaScript access key code.

It would be nice if there was a way to disable the problematic parts of
the code but as a user setting without turning off JavaScript completely,
but I have not investigated.

Losing keyboard control of the browser interferes with potential user
productivity.  I have never seen any JavaScript access key usage which
compensated for the loss of productivity from keyboard access to browser
functions.

I know that most people merely use a pointing device to control
applications.  However, the most productive users of a particular
application learn to take maximal advantage of keyboard access. 
Experienced keyboard control users can have some multiples of the
productivity of mouse only users for interface control intensive tasks.


2.1.  LEGAL PROBLEM IN THE US.

Disabling web browser keyboard control is a common part of the security
restrictions for browser installations at US libraries.  The loss of
keyboard control of the browser is most likely a violation of the
Americans with Disabilities Act in the US.

I suppose that no one has ever sued over the issue in libraries to enforce
the law.  I speculate that the only reason no one has sued over this issue
in the US, the most litigious society in the world, is another aspect of
the same culture.  Libraries are not much valued in US culture so the
disability access lobby has not noticed disability access issues for
browsers further than building access to libraries.

While as a practical matter US library browser restrictions demonstrate
that the lack of keyboard accessibility is not a concern at many
libraries, law and library procurement policies forbid such restrictions. 
This is an issue waiting to become a problem in the US libraries. 
Whenever it does become a problem for US libraries, non-compliant software
will suffer in the US market.


2.2.  CURRENT PRODUCTIVITY CONSEQUENCE.

Meanwhile, this issue is already a serious productivity problem for some
parts of Koha.  The issue may send libraries that care about librarian
productivity looking elsewhere for library software.


Thomas Dukleth
Agogme
109 E 9th Street, 3D
New York, NY  10003
USA
http://www.agogme.com
212-674-3783