Accessibility and MODx Manager 097

That was my thinking as well; this would be an optional replacement for the standard Manager. I for one would use it for my sites simply because I don’t like javascript (except for simple things like "are you sure you want to delete your entire document tree?" sort of alerts)

I had started on this for 095, but decided to let it go until the 097 base was done.

Quote from: sottwell at Feb 24, 2008, 06:40 PM

...this would be an optional replacement for the standard Manager.

Actually, this could replace or exist side-by-side with the "reference" implementation of the manager. You could easily provide a plugin to route requests from certain devices to the appropriate interface, or let the plugin simply use system/user settings to do the same.

I agree that a 508-compat manager needs to be a core extension and not part of the 097 core. A lot of work would be required to make a fully accessible manager.

And to be honest, I’m going to have to see a lot more commits to the 097 branch before I personally take any of these requests seriously. Just to be honest.

So I guess that accessiblity is not the only factor. There are various considerations and I want to make sure that we are looking at all aspects of the UI that ships with 097 to ensure the greatest uptake and least resistance from those who wish to deploy it. It won’t be necessary to ship all forms with the release bundle but be at least able to deliver a simple solution for common user scenarios that deviate from the JS enabled/Latest Browser scenario.

Have you read "Good to Great"? It talks about companies that were simply "good" that suddenly moved to "great" status - highly successful and way ahead in their product genre. The companies that didn’t tried to do too much and please too many people. The companies that thrived and eventually became "great" with huge gains and long-term stability and benefits were the ones that concentrated on what they did best, and didn’t expand for a while until they had become the best in their target spectrum.

I think with all the new changes and talk coming with 097, it’s going to be very easy to be tempted to want to do more and make the version the best for everyone. I think this is the number one way to kill the release. We need to concentrate on what we do best - core extensibility, a powerful and dynamic management interface, unparalleled flexibility, and incredibly fast load times - rather than worry about all the peripherals. We’ll get to those later.

The last thing I want anyone here on the team devoting their time to is a 508compat manager template when the default 097 manager still needs tons of work. It’s a good idea that should go into the Core Extensions branch Jira tracker, and should be left there and not waste our time here until we’re done with the basics. Again, I’m not shooting down the idea, but emphasizing that we need to prioritize here, and focus on finishing out part A before we move on to part W or part V.

Shaun, I consider your comments very insightful. I agree that doing anything to jeopardize the overall success of the project is foolish.

I want to make a clarification. I am not at all concerned with 508 or WCAG or WAI for the release of 097. I think that at this point we have likely agreed that due to contexts that an accessible manager or anyother manager interface for that matter is mutually exclusive and needn’t be related to the 097 release.

I just wanted to start a dialogue to ensure that accessibility and user ability gets a dot on the roadmap or a sideroad on the roadmap and to determine where, when, how and by whom an accessible interface exists.

Looking at statistics there are more than 30, 000, 000 (nearly 10%) people in the US alone with varying levels of ability or who use alternative interaction tools that rely on certain elements in the browser for interaction.

In addition I want to make a clarification that 508 and WCAG and WAI are specifications and should be considered a guide but the aim should be to allow users to use the application in most cases.

What I envision is that an accessibility project be a MODx project that will at some time offer either an accessibile interface addon or provide some guidance to those who wish to make 097 so. (since is should be possible for anyone who understands 097, the api and the model.)

At this time I think it would be a positive step to just acknowledge accessibility as a project consideration and therefore showing intent and not promise any deliverable or timeline. If, it is the goal of MODx to become one of the top-3 CMS/F applications we will need to get into the enterprise removing reasons to limit accepatance by enterprise and small government should be a step in that direction.

To conclude, I am just asking to put a dot on the map and to show that a future MODx will be able to be fully accessible.

Thanks for the valuable feedback.

Cheers,

Jay

I’m interested in this because I really don’t like javascript, and am not very good with it. Maybe the latter explains the former attitude. Anyway, I won’t be of much use with the extjs interface, so it won’t be any loss if I spend time fiddling with a simple manager interface. I just want to make sure it’s a proper model or whatever such things should be called and not a rough hack. Which means understanding the connectors and the rest of it, so nothing’s going to happen real soon anyway.

Quote from: smashingred at Feb 25, 2008, 02:57 PM

Shaun, I consider your comments very insightful. I agree that doing anything to jeopardize the overall success of the project is foolish.

I want to make a clarification. I am not at all concerned with 508 or WCAG or WAI for the release of 097. I think that at this point we have likely agreed that due to contexts that an accessible manager or anyother manager interface for that matter is mutually exclusive and needn’t be related to the 097 release.

I just wanted to start a dialogue to ensure that accessibility and user ability gets a dot on the roadmap or a sideroad on the roadmap and to determine where, when, how and by whom an accessible interface exists.

Looking at statistics there are more than 30, 000, 000 (nearly 10%) people in the US alone with varying levels of ability or who use alternative interaction tools that rely on certain elements in the browser for interaction.

In addition I want to make a clarification that 508 and WCAG and WAI are specifications and should be considered a guide but the aim should be to allow users to use the application in most cases.

What I envision is that an accessibility project be a MODx project that will at some time offer either an accessibile interface addon or provide some guidance to those who wish to make 097 so. (since is should be possible for anyone who understands 097, the api and the model.)

At this time I think it would be a positive step to just acknowledge accessibility as a project consideration and therefore showing intent and not promise any deliverable or timeline. If, it is the goal of MODx to become one of the top-3 CMS/F applications we will need to get into the enterprise removing reasons to limit accepatance by enterprise and small government should be a step in that direction.

To conclude, I am just asking to put a dot on the map and to show that a future MODx will be able to be fully accessible.

I completely agree. So put it into JIRA so that it doesn’t get buried in these forums like so many great ideas we’ve had do.

http://svn.modxcms.com/jira/browse/EXT

I’ll put it in as a New Feature but I think that at some point we ought to put out a call for suggestions and feedback as well as adding it to the official roadmap (once it is decided where the Project fits into MODx development).