[Accessibility] For today's call: Sec2b

Janina Sajka janina at rednote.net
Thu Sep 11 12:39:01 PDT 2003


Can we try this draft ...


9.) Guidelines for System Administration (Year Three)

System Administrators who are themselves persons with disabilities should be able to continue in their profession as new system administration tools are
developed. In addition, all System Administrators and technical support staff should have accessible applications and tools to assist users, to define
user interface and alternate configurations appropriate to the user's needs (including any assistive technology that the user may rely on).

Linux and Unix environments arguably have the most accessible documentation of any operating system today. The console environment is arguably the most
accessible environment for many computer professionals with disabilities today. We wish to ensure that free and open operating environments remain the
most accessible and inclusive platforms available even as the tools used by system administrators (and other computer professionals) become more
sophisticated.

Professional system and application administrators are responsible for the installation, configuration, and management of a system's operation system,
applications, and system management tools.  An example is a system running the Apache HTTP server using a "Web-based Distribute Authoring and
Versioning" (WebDAV) tool.  Administrators use commands, tools, and documentation that are not normally useful to nonadministrative users. 
Nevertheless, these operating system and application administration resources need to support the same accessibility facilities, best practices, and
assistive technologies that are generally available to any system user who needs them.

Also, tools and best practices documentation needs to be developed to facilitate assistance to end users with disabilities by technical support staff
who may not themselves be familiar with accessibility solutions.
Allen Wilson writes:
> From: Allen Wilson <wilsona at us.ibm.com>
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Thanks, Doug, for the comments.
> 
>  What I was trying to say in the last sentence is that the administrative
> commands, tools, and documentation should have the same level of
> accessibility support that is available in applications used by a more
> general user population.  One can image that the developer of a system tool
> might not give the same level of attention to accessibility, given the
> relatively small number of admins who use the tool, as the developer of a
> more general application, such as a word processor.   I struggled with the
> wording trying to convey the idea that admin and support staff should not
> be at a disadvantage when compared to a wider user population.  So I think
> the change to
> 
> "available to any administrator who needs them".
> 
> is not what I'm trying to say.  Maybe
> 
> "available to all the system users who need them."  is better?
> 
>  Again, the idea was to ensure that admin tools, commands, documentation
> provide access comparable to application with a larger audience.
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Allen K. Wilson
> IBM Accessibility Center
> Telephone:       512 838-7872   T/L 678-7872
> FAX:                 512 838-0330   T/L 678-0330
> Internet:  wilsona at us.ibm.com
> 
> 
> 
> 
>                                                                                                                                                
>                       Doug Beattie                                                                                                             
>                       <dbb at linkexplorer.com>            To:       Allen Wilson/Austin/IBM at IBMUS                                                
>                       Sent by:                          cc:       Janina Sajka <janina at rednote.net>, accessibility at freestandards.org,          
>                       accessibility-admin at freest         accessibility-admin at freestandards.org                                                 
>                       andards.org                       Subject:  Re: [Accessibility] For today's call: Sec2b                                  
>                                                                                                                                                
>                                                                                                                                                
>                       09/11/2003 12:47 PM                                                                                                      
>                                                                                                                                                
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Sorry, but I had a spelling error on the word administrator below.
> 
> On Thu, Sep 11, 2003 at 11:44:05AM -0600, Doug Beattie wrote:
> > Allen:
> >
> > I like your rewrite of the last 2 paragraphs into the one you have
> > below.
> >
> > I would only make one minor change.
> >
> > In the last sentence, change "available to any user who needs them" to
> > "available to any adminstrator who needs them".
>  "available to any administrator who needs them".
> >
> > Just a thought.
> >
> > I'd be satisfied with this for #9.
> >
> > Doug
> >
> > On Thu, Sep 11, 2003 at 11:48:21AM -0500, Allen Wilson wrote:
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > Greetings all,
> > >
> > > 9 of Sec2b, Guidelines for System Administrators, seems to have at
> least
> > > two different roles included, system and application administration and
> > > user technical support.  The tools and techniques used in each role is
> > > different.  As an example, the system administrator role might include
> > > operating system setup and administration of the system's operating
> system,
> > > application setup and administration for applications such as Apache
> HTTP
> > > server, and the use of system management tools such as data backup and
> > > recovery application.  The technical support role includes system setup
> and
> > > configuration for user desktop systems, application support from a
> user's
> > > perspective as opposed to application administration, and the use of a
> > > different support applications such as a trouble ticket tracking
> system.
> > >
> > > Paragraphs two and three seem to cover the technical support role but
> do
> > > not address the system and application administration role.  The
> following
> > > paragraph might help clarify the administration role.
> > >
> > > Professional system and application administrators are responsible for
> the
> > > installation, configuration, and management of a system's operation
> system,
> > > applications, and system management tools.  An example is a system
> running
> > > the Apache HTTP server using a "Web-based Distribute Authoring and
> > > Versioning" (WebDAV) tool.  Administrators use commands, tools, and
> > > documentation that are not normally available nor useful to
> > > nonadministrative users.  Nevertheless, these operating system and
> > > application administration resources need to support the same
> accessibility
> > > facilities, best practices, and assistive technologies that are
> generally
> > > available to any user who needs them.
> > >
> > >
> > > Regards,
> > >
> > > Allen K. Wilson
> > > IBM Accessibility Center
> > > Telephone:       512 838-7872   T/L 678-7872
> > > Internet:  wilsona at us.ibm.com
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > Accessibility mailing list
> > > Accessibility at freestandards.org
> > > http://www.freestandards.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/accessibility
> >
> > --
> > Doug Beattie
> > dbb at linkexplorer.com
> >
> 
> --
> Doug Beattie
> dbb at linkexplorer.com
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Accessibility mailing list
> Accessibility at freestandards.org
> http://www.freestandards.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/accessibility
> 

-- 
	
				Janina Sajka, Director
				Technology Research and Development
				Governmental Relations Group
				American Foundation for the Blind (AFB)

Email: janina at afb.net		Phone: (202) 408-8175




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