5 ms·

As a web developer, it literally is your only job to make a website that is usable by people.

by madeofpalk 6y ago

adflux 6y ago
By which people? I think thats up to the developer to decide.
- monsieurbanana 6y ago
  1. Not always 2. Obviously mostly yes, but in hn people just assume that you're a somewhat good person who wouldn't knowingly restraint internet access to people with disabilities
- thinkxl 6y ago
  Of course that's up for the developer to decide. You can't force a developer to make a website accessible to all people regarding of their capabilities. But you have to remember the initial goal of why the Internet started as open and what was the initial goal, to make all information accessible to everyone, that's why accessibility standards were there since the beginning. That was the entire goal of the web, to be open and accessible to EVERYONE. But if you want to go full head on capitalism and argue it doesn't matter for business, accessibility is literally search engine optimization, which is great for business. Googlebot is blind and doesn't use a mouse to surf the web. From any perspective Accessibility is a requirements for any website or web application. Of course, nobody can force developers to make websites accessible. Wait, yeah they can: * https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-court-dominos-pizza/u-s-supreme-court-rejects-dominos-bid-to-avoid-disabilities-suit-idUSKBN1WM1P1 https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-court-dominos-pizza/u...
- Gene_Parmesan 6y ago
  If you are making web sites for public use, the law disagrees with you.
- bigfudge 6y ago
  No - in most western countries it's decided in law that reasonable efforts should be made to support most people, those with disabilities like visual impairment included.
charcircuit 6y ago
I design websites that are to be used with primarily desktop screens. If you want to use an unsupported configuration such as a tiny screen or with no screen then it is not my fault if it does not work well. Similarly, if I make a VR game I am not going to design it in a way that makes creating a pancake version of the game easier to use. If someone does create a pancake mod for the game, they should not complain about how weird the controls are or how they can only use one hand. They should take those issues up with the pancake mom developer and not with me. If people find it hard to use my website through a screen reader then they should complain to the screen reader developer to improve it. It's not my fault if there software sucks at what it is trying to do.
- matsemann 6y ago
  > I design websites that are to be used with primarily desktop screens. If you want to use an unsupported configuration such as a tiny screen or with no screen then it is not my fault if it does not work well. In lots of countries you are obliged to make the site accessible for what you call "unsupported configurations". E.g screen readers, heavily zoomed sites etc. So yes, it will be your fault, and you are liable for what you deliver. If you're a professional web developer, this should be known.
  - charcircuit 6y ago
    Sure, throw me in jail for not wanting to waste my time developing stuff I have no use for in websites that are freely accessible. If countries want me to develop and support stuff that I don't want to they should pay me for it.
    - matsemann 6y ago
      Again, assuming you're a professional that's just part of the job. So you will get paid for it, just include it in the estimates/your quotes. It's not optional. And really, it's not that hard to do..
- hunter2_ 6y ago
  VR versus pancake typically has nothing to do with disabilities. Display versus screen reader does. It's fine to exclude people who can choose to be included, but it's good to avoid exclusion when choice is not part of the equation. If you're talking about building something that couldn't possibly be of any use to a blind person, that's one thing, but most websites do not fall into that category.

As a web developer, it literally is your only job to make a website that is usable by people.

adflux 6y ago

By which people? I think thats up to the developer to decide.

monsieurbanana 6y ago
1. Not always 2. Obviously mostly yes, but in hn people just assume that you're a somewhat good person who wouldn't knowingly restraint internet access to people with disabilities
thinkxl 6y ago
Of course that's up for the developer to decide. You can't force a developer to make a website accessible to all people regarding of their capabilities. But you have to remember the initial goal of why the Internet started as open and what was the initial goal, to make all information accessible to everyone, that's why accessibility standards were there since the beginning. That was the entire goal of the web, to be open and accessible to EVERYONE. But if you want to go full head on capitalism and argue it doesn't matter for business, accessibility is literally search engine optimization, which is great for business. Googlebot is blind and doesn't use a mouse to surf the web. From any perspective Accessibility is a requirements for any website or web application. Of course, nobody can force developers to make websites accessible. Wait, yeah they can: * https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-court-dominos-pizza/u-s-supreme-court-rejects-dominos-bid-to-avoid-disabilities-suit-idUSKBN1WM1P1 https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-court-dominos-pizza/u...
Gene_Parmesan 6y ago
If you are making web sites for public use, the law disagrees with you.
bigfudge 6y ago
No - in most western countries it's decided in law that reasonable efforts should be made to support most people, those with disabilities like visual impairment included.

charcircuit 6y ago

I design websites that are to be used with primarily desktop screens. If you want to use an unsupported configuration such as a tiny screen or with no screen then it is not my fault if it does not work well. Similarly, if I make a VR game I am not going to design it in a way that makes creating a pancake version of the game easier to use. If someone does create a pancake mod for the game, they should not complain about how weird the controls are or how they can only use one hand. They should take those issues up with the pancake mom developer and not with me. If people find it hard to use my website through a screen reader then they should complain to the screen reader developer to improve it. It's not my fault if there software sucks at what it is trying to do.

matsemann 6y ago
> I design websites that are to be used with primarily desktop screens. If you want to use an unsupported configuration such as a tiny screen or with no screen then it is not my fault if it does not work well. In lots of countries you are obliged to make the site accessible for what you call "unsupported configurations". E.g screen readers, heavily zoomed sites etc. So yes, it will be your fault, and you are liable for what you deliver. If you're a professional web developer, this should be known.
- charcircuit 6y ago
  Sure, throw me in jail for not wanting to waste my time developing stuff I have no use for in websites that are freely accessible. If countries want me to develop and support stuff that I don't want to they should pay me for it.
  - matsemann 6y ago
    Again, assuming you're a professional that's just part of the job. So you will get paid for it, just include it in the estimates/your quotes. It's not optional. And really, it's not that hard to do..
hunter2_ 6y ago
VR versus pancake typically has nothing to do with disabilities. Display versus screen reader does. It's fine to exclude people who can choose to be included, but it's good to avoid exclusion when choice is not part of the equation. If you're talking about building something that couldn't possibly be of any use to a blind person, that's one thing, but most websites do not fall into that category.