TT> > Java and Java Script are the way forward.
TT> Yes, but they should still provide backwards compatability.
Up to what point? How many programs written in recent years will work
on an 8086 CPU?
TT> I am sure that people would have got annoyed if Win95 came out, and Micro$oft said that no programs from your old
TT> OS will work any more, you will just have to update the programs. If the authors of your old programs can't
TT> update, then you should go back to using DOS. Your argument is exactly the same. People using Linux or shell
TT> accounts really need correctly written HTML, or the pages are useless. Even Countrylink's woeful page is
TT> infinately superior to CityRail's page if you are using Lynx.
But it has happened... lots of programs have come out for Win95 that won't
work in DOS and no DOS versions are available. Try purchasing a copy of
Microsoft Office that will run in DOS - or even in Win 3.1. Try purchasing
any recently released game that will run on a 486 CPU acceptably. People
still using DOS and lower than Pentium class CPU's are finding that there
is very little software that they can run.
I'm the first to agree that the use of Java Script on the City Rail site is
a total overkill and pointless. And that a government information site
such as that should support text browsers as well. What I disagree with is
that law that was quoted that stated that *all* WWW sites must support all
browsers or be liable for discrimination.
There are many sites the content of which is just not suitable for text
based browsers - for example where the WebMaster wants to display art.
A blanket law like that is extremely restrictive.
I'm all for backward compatibility but there has to be a point where you
draw the line in order to avoid hindering development.
Just how many Steam Locomotive Water Filling Tanks are left in New South
Wales - it makes running steam train tours difficult, necessitates the use
of water gins etc... but the maintenance of those pieces of equipment just
isn't justified considering the low level of demand for them. I see the
World Wide Web in the same way.
Regards,
Albert.
* RM 1.31 * Albert! alberta@zip.com.au http://www.zip.com.au/~alberta/