Another Perspective on the Cause of the Keyhole Problem
"Steven Greenberg" <ssg-/[email protected]> Thu, 16 Oct 2003 22:22:20 -0700
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My comments are based on Scott's presentation of the keyhole problem
at an IEEE Seminar in Oregon tonight.
Scott often wondered what could be on people's minds that would cause them to
introduce keyhole's into their software.
This query in itself may be a meta-keyhole. You may be putting a gratuitous
restriction on your understanding of why people create keyholes. Such a
restriction may limit your ability to communicate to people about the problem
in a way that can lead them to change their behavior.
The keyhole metaphor is a good description of the problem as Scott sees it.
However, if the problem arises from a different mindset from the one assumed,
then it may be hard for a person to connect their behavior to this description
of the problem.
I have attached some excerpts from a book on HTML. I use these excerpts to try
to get people to stop making web page design mistakes. Some of these mistakes
that people make can be identified as keyhole problems.
I think these excerpts address a different mindset that may explain why some people
make the web design mistakes that they do.
I am wondering if people on this email discussion group see the connection
between these two approaches that I see. Perhaps a discussion of the
possible different mindsets would help people connect their behavior to the
keyhole way of looking at the problem.
/Steve Greenberg
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<h2><a name=3D"FAQ_"> </a> FAQ: </h2>
<p />
How should I format documents for web viewing?
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<h2><a name=3D"Answer_"> Answer: </a></h2>
<p />
Publishing for the web is different from publishing for hard-copy =
viewing.
Some of this differnce is explained in the book <em>HTML & XHTML: =
The Definitive Guide</em>, Chuck Musciano & Bill Kennedy, Copyright =
© 2000 O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.
<p />
In section 1.5 titled <em>HTML and XHTML: What they Aren't</em>, they =
say,
<p />
<blockquote>
With all their multimedia-enabling, new page layout feature, and the hot =
technologies that give life to HTML/XHTML documents over the Internet, =
it is
also important to understand the languages' limitations. They are not
word-processing tools, desktop publishing solutions, or even programming =
languages. That's because their fundamental purpose is to define the =
structure=20
and appearance of documents and document families so that they may be
delivered quickly and easily to a user over a network for rendering on a
variety of display devices. Jack of all trades, but master of none, so =
to speak.
</blockquote>
<p />
In section 1.5.1, <em>Content Versus Appearance</em>, they go on to say:
<p />
<blockquote>
Before you can fully appreciate the power of the language and begin =
creating
effective documents, you must yield to one fundamental rule. These =
markup=20
languages are designed to structure documents and make their content =
more
accessible, not to format documents for display purposes.
<p />
HTML and its progeny XHTML do provide many different ways to let you =
define
the appearance of your documents: font specifications, line breaks, and
multi-column text are all features of the language. And, of course, =
appearance
is important, since it can have either detrimental or beneficial effects =
on how
users access and use the information in your documents.
<p />
But with HTML and XHTML, content is paramount; appearance is secondary,
particularly since it is less predictable, give the variety of browser
graphics and text-formatting capabilities. Besides, these markup =
languages=20
contain many more ways for structuring your document content without =
regard to=20
final appearance: section headers, structured lists, paragraphs, rules, =
titles,
and embedded images are all defined by the standard languages without =
regard
for how these elements might be rendered by a browser. Consider, for =
example,=20
a browser for the blind, wherein graphics on the page come with audio
descriptions and alternative rules for navigation. The HTML 4.0 =
standard
defines such a thing: content over visual presentation.
<p />
If you treat HTML or XHTML as a document-generation tool, you will be
sorely disappointed in your ability to format your document in a =
specific way.
There is simply not enough capability built into the languages to allow =
you
to create the kind of documents you might whip up with tools like=20
FrameMaker or Microsoft Word. Attempts to subvert the supplied=20
structuring elements to achieve specific formatting tricks seldom work =
across=20
all browsers. In short, don't waste your time trying to force HTML and =
XHTML=20
to do things they were never designed to do.
<p />
Instead, use HTML and XHTML in the manner for which they were designed:
indicating the structure of a document so that the browser can then =
render
its content appropriately. HTML and HXTML are rife with tags that let =
you
indicate the semantics of your document content, something that is =
missing
from tools like Frame or Word. Create your documents using these tags =
and
you'll be happier, your documents will look better, and you readers will
benefit immensely.
</blockquote>
<p />
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-- <a href=3D"/twiki/bin/view/Main/SteveGreenberg">SteveGreenberg</a> - =
24 Mar 2003 <br />
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