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We have made a big effort to validate all of our pages as XHTML and to ensure than when any javascript was used, that a functional noscript option was included.
This code from the small airline(a booking form which submits to their live booking system) relies completely on javascript to function and when I switched javascript off, the code was useless.
I was going to email them back immediately and ask for something that works with scripting turned off, when I was suddenly struck with a whim. I decided to test out the airline internet bookings for the big Aussie airline down here (the one starting with Q) and was astounded to find that upon arriving at their site, if you have javascript turned off, all you get is a blank white page. I looked at the source code and it showed a detection script in js. There was not even a message telling me to turn your javascript on stupid.
Shouldn't the big companies like this be leading the way when it comes to accessible sites?
Or am I being overly critical?
I use Mozilla Firebird where I have control not only to turn Javascript on or off - but to control what kind of Javascript I allow. This blocks pop-ups, sites moving windows around etc etc. You would be surprised how many sites, including big commerical sites, break and cease to work. Usually I just go elsewhere but if I really need something from the site I am forced to switch javascript on, a decision I should not be forced to make.
Just have a polite email pre-typed and send it to as many of them as you can. I pestered one of the UK's largest cinemas about this, and pointed out the amount of business they are losing, and I've succeeded in getting a site redesign.
But yeah it's bad. They should be leading by example. And another curiosity I've found quite hypocritical is webmaster sites themselves. They preach about all these "cool things you can use to spiff up your code", but at the same time they fail to implement any of them! (Not meaning to get at this site here, but where are the accesskeys etc?)
This code from the small airline(a booking form which submits to their live booking system) relies completely on javascript to function and when I switched javascript off, the code was useless
Travel booking systems have a particular problem which means they need some way to time you out.
If they didn't, I could have a million booking confirmation pages open, and that'd be just about every available seat in the world held for me until I click okay.
They usually do this with some Javascript (to prod you locally after a few minutes of inactivity) backed up by a timeout on the server.
Of course, that doesn't justify the need for Javascript elsewhere, unless it's just to make sure you don't get all the way to the booking confirmation screen before they tell you they can't procede.
And the timeout Javascript isn't strictly necessary, but it does make things more convenient for the system operators.
