[Wsuug] New Web Page

[Kelley Walker]

out of curiosity, where do people stand on the issue of Web Standards as 
being about giving the user maximum control? I think it's crucial, but I 
suppose there's a good debate to be had.

For example, at work, a colleague (who is, I think, on the list) has done a 
couple of presentations on flexible, fluid, and elastic design. One 
argument is that fixed-width design gives the user the most control.

If you take this position, then using background images to convey meaning, 
then you're not giving the user maximum control.

In this interview, Russ Weakley indicates that he's come to think of 
designing for the web as about giving users control:

"So, I had to unlearn the "total control" mentality and accept that users 
may view my sites in a variety of browsers and devices, with different 
monitor sizes, font sizes, colour settings, platforms and operating 
systems. I also had to accept that users had the right to control aspects 
of the layout - particularly font sizing."

http://webstandardsgroup.org/features/russ-weakley.cfm