Standardistas and accessibilitistas: This call to action via 456 Berea  
St [1] concerns a disturbing direction the next HTML specification is  
heading in. Roger Johansson writes:

     What is currently going on in the W3C HTML Working Group is very  
disappointing and something I never expected to see when I joined it.  
I was naive enough to think that everybody joining the HTML WG would  
be doing so out of a desire to improve the Web. Unfortunately, that  
does not seem to be the case [...]

In Roger's opinion, if nothing is done, "the next version of HTML will  
do nothing to improve the Web," and conscientious designers will be  
"better off sticking to HTML 4.01 Strict."

So, if you have an interest in improving the accessibility of HTML,  
want more semantic and less presentational markup, and are good at  
arguing your case, apply for HTML Working Group membership by  
following the instructions for joining the HTML Working Group [2]. Do  
it now.

[1]  
http://www.456ber...
[2]
http://www.w3.org...

Jeffrey

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