Hi all,

Paul, not sure I know exactly what you're saying here.  Let me tell
you what I'm hearing, then I want to know if I've got it right.

Seems like you're saying that visual effects are more important than
the information being communicated, and that you want to have visually
attractive pages at the expense of those pages being accessible to
all.

I also hear you complaining about people who refuse to upgrade their
software, making accessibility by non graphical and non-java browsers
necessary.  You seem to be saying that people refuse to upgrade their
software as opposed to are not able to upgrade their software.

Based on what I think you are saying, let me respond.  If I've got
your communication wrong, then you can throw out my reply.

Here are some cold hard facts for you, Paul.  Seventy percent of all
the blind and disabled are unemployed.  Out of those who are employed,
a good percentage of these are under employed, live on the margins of
poverty, are on public assistance of one kind or another, are elderly
and can not work, or are multiply handicapped, making it impossible
for them to work.

You claim that people are "too lazy" to upgrade their software.  Here
are some more hard facts for you, Paul.  The upgrade I just purchased
from Win95 to Win98 cost me $99.  the upgrade for my bios which I had
to have in addition cost me $65.  This is a total of $164.  I have
been planning this upgrade for a long time.  I have to do that because
I work part-time.

Paul, people do not upgrade mainly because of the cost factor.  Also,
it is difficult to learn new software, and people feel comfortable
with what they have.  I don't think that laziness plays any part at
all in the equation.

If M$ has its way, you will be paying a licensing fee every single
year, and you will not be able to upgrade your hardware unless you
inform M$.  that doesn't even begin to touch my personal feelings on
this issue and that of the so-called smart tags.    I upgrade my
Debian distribution on a regular basis because it, unlike M$ costs me
nothing!!

Ann P.

--
                        Ann K. Parsons
email:  [log in to unmask]                   ICQ Number:  33006854
WEB SITE:  http://home.eznet.net/~akp
"All that is gold does not glitter.  Not all those who wander are lost."  JRRT