Re: [orca-list] Reading texts in Firefox/XUL applications

[Milan Zamazal <pdm brailcom org>]

> > > > > "RC" == Rich Caloggero <rjc MIT EDU> writes:

    RC> Seems to me that Firefox should attempt to provide some
    RC> rutamentary carret navigation in XUL elements.

Well, it looks to me that Firefox should either provide caret navigation
in all textual elements or it shouldn't provide it at all (and let the
provision of corresponding facilities up to screen readers).  I don't
understand here the principal distinction between <description> in a XUL
window and <div> or <em> in an HTML window.

    RC> Also, its my understanding that XUL doesn't really have specific
    RC> elements for displaying large amounts of textual data; it can
    RC> use HTML elements for this.  

The problem is that I couldn't find a way to make non-interactive HTML
elements (such as <p>) focusable in a standalone XUL window.  So in the
final result HTML elements in XUL couldn't be read at all.  (Please tell
me if I miss something here!)

    RC> Most of what XUL provides are various flavors of input: single
    RC> and multi-line text input, trees, listboxes, checkboxes, radio
    RC> buttons and explicit radio button groups, labels, and simple
    RC> push buttons). It has box elements for layout (sort of like
    RC> divs), but no paragraph or heading.

Yes, using HTML elements would be definitely useful, e.g. for displaying
longer formatted texts or to utilize Orca navigation facilities
(headings, tables).  But still, if any application decides for whatever
reasonable reason to use just <description> for displaying regular
textual information (other than labels or so), it should be accessible
appropriately, shouldn't it?

Regards,

Milan Zamazal