pop-ups as a obstacles to navigation

[rcjordan]

I thought we had addressed just about all the pros and cons regarding "good" and "bad" pop-ups, but this definitely needs to be filed under "Design Considerations." Having recently introduced my mother to the web, I was particularly aware of the problems encountered when the web-UNsavvy meet the inevitable pop-up, but I didn't think about those with more serious problems. (I cheated, btw, I simply installed panicware's free popupstopper.)

...pop-up ads cause damage to people who have already had enough damage.

I'm talking about people with physical limitations.

The voice program only works in the active window," she explained. "When the pop-up comes up, it is the active window. But since the pop-up ad is sometimes hidden, or even down on the taskbar at the bottom of the screen, you can't always tell it's there. That's very confusing --- and, remember, some of the patients aren't really savvy about computers.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution [accessatlanta.com]

[Filipe]

Really good point. I can't think of any work around for this that would both aid the disabled and not harm them in any way (sic).

The best thing I can come up with is coming up with a DMOZ type of directory that lists a humongous multitude of disabled-approved sites. It's too be we'd have to shut off some of the web to the disabled, but then, pop ups are doing that already.

[Purple Martin]

Do accessibility-checkers like Bobby reject sites that use pop-ups? Reading the above, I think they should.

[creative craig]

At the bobby web site they have written:

Bobby tests web pages using the guidelines established by the World Wide Web Consortium's Web Access Initiative as well as Section 508 guidelines from the Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board (Access Board) of the U.S. Federal Government.

So it would depend on the W3C and to some extent the Feds!