Re: Frod [was Re: [Fsfe-uk] Free internet (technologically)]

[Chris Croughton]

On Wed, Jun 04, 2003 at 02:19:05PM +0100, Richard Smedley wrote:

> On Wed, 2003-06-04 at 13:52, Chris Croughton wrote:
> 
> > Or, like Ford, they just don't care since "95% of people use a browser
> > which sees it fine".
> 
> Ford seem to have been mentioned a number of
> times - are they a perticularly bad offender?

I thought I'd check up, because it's been a month or so since I last
looked at their site (and it was Flash-only, with not even anything to
indicate what was needed -- I looked at it originally because my sister
-- using IE 5.5! -- couldn't see anything, I only deduced that it needed
Flash by looking at the HTML and decoding the JS).  When I contacted
Ford (by phone to their head office) I was told that it was "company
policy" to only use Flash because "Flash is needed for the
presentations".  Not that I wanted to see a 'presentation', we were only
looking for the nearest dealer to contact!

It seems that since the last time I looked they have brought out a new
version which -- mirabile dictu -- is even lynx compatible.  Well, OK,
some parts don't work too well in lynx (tables, for instance) but that's
usual, even my own site doesn't look too pretty in lynx, but it's
readable.  The dealer locator uses JS...

That's Ford UK.  Ford US (www.ford.com), which were just as bad, still
depend on JS for a redirector and the site is a lot more messy in a
non-graphics browser, but (apart from the first page) is usable.

> I ask because I know someone talking to Ford
> on unrelated IT matters who might be able to
> investigate.

Perhaps they, or others with clue, have done already.  You can certainly
pass on congratulations that they have made their site vastly more
accessible than it was.

So in summary:

  Ford (UK and US) were a big offender, and arrogant about it.
  
  Ford UK have changed and the site is now mostly accessible.
  
  Ford US need JS for a redirector on the first page (and that's /all/
  that first page is used for!).  After that, it's not as good as Ford
  UK (fewer ALT tags on images, for instance) but looks probably usable.

  This has to be a company-wide policy change.  I wonder whether US
  disabilities legislation had anything to do with it?  Or maybe they
  had a person with clue come in.

  Companies can, then, change their policies.  It either needs someone
  inside to get a clue or enough pressure from outside to push them into
  doing it.

I'll be contacting Ford UK and congratulating them on changing the
policy and on the revised website.

Chris C