Re: Another appeal for an IDispatch interface for Firefox

Hi Jamal,

I haven't begun to estimate the work required for this, but I've filed a 
bug for technical discussion here:
https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=633556

As for priorities, we'll definitely consider your points about 
script-ability.

Thanks,
David

On 11/02/11 12:20 PM, Jamal Mazrui wrote:
> This is to reiterate a suggestion I made a couple years ago.  On
> Windows, it certainly aids accessibility for assistive technology
> developers to be able to obtain information about Firefox user interface
> controls and web content via a COM interface.  Unfortunately, however,
> an early-bound, low-level COM interface that is tailored to C++
> programmers does not help scripters of assistive technology.  JAWS,
> Window-Eyes, and Hal, for example, include full-fledged scripting
> languages that are designed for advanced users with skill in a high
> level programming language.  Such individuals often know from personal
> experience what kinds of enhancements to their browsing experiences
> would be most helpful.  The 3rd party market of accessibility extensions
> to Firefox would be significantly larger, in my opinion, if scripters
> could build extensions on top of their assistive technologies.
>
> For this to happen, the COM object models of Firefox (and other Mozilla
> applications such as Thunderbird) need to be additionally exposed via a
> late-bound IDispatch interface with a ProgID that supports automation
> clients.  For example, the syntax to obtain an initial COM object might
> be something like
>
> OFirefox = CreateObject("Firefox.Application")
>
> I know that adding an IDispatch interface is not a trivial programming
> project.  Nevertheless, it is a common practice among software
> developers for Windows applications, and I think the benefits would be
> significant on that platform.  Internet Explorer offers such an
> interface, and as a result, I know of JAWS and Window-Eyes scripters
> (including myself) who have put it to good use, e.g., enabling access to
> the DOM of the current web page in ways not facilitated by default
> screen reader functionality.
>
> Regards,
> Jamal
>
> Jamal Mazrui
> Deputy Director, Accessibility and Innovation Initiative
> Federal Communications Commission
> 202.418.0069
>
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