theme blurbs to describe each theme for screen reader users

[theplotbunny]

Title:
theme blurbs to describe each theme for screen reader users

Area:
themes for DW journals and communities

Summary:
I often find that with a lot of blogs and such, that choosing themes can be difficult, especially as there is little if any description to help me decide. As I cannot physically see these, I'd love to see implemented a descriptive blurb giving a detailed and concise lay of the visual landscape so to speak, this would be most innovative and so cool!

Description:
1: I think by providing a blurb for each theme, this would allow blind users and those with some degree of sight loss the opportunity to be on a level with our fellow DW users, and why not, it is a wonderful opportunity to provide a great way to make DW more inclusive, perhaps with this extending to more visual landscapes over time we could find ourselves sought after by other blogs to incorporate such a landmark addition to the site.

Logistics, well I'm no tech minded person, but conceivably such blurbs could be placed under a link - cut of some kind, as blind users rely on keystrokes and not mouse usage, a simple html solution is a great way to make the site more fun and keeps everything neat and tidy for all of us.

I don't foresee any real disadvantages, I do see that implementation could start with current and future themes etc, and slowly over time, add this feature to all DW visual themes and perhaps this might be something to explore with other visual content where applicable and advantageous to members like me.

I humbly offer this as my contribution to DW access! ^_^

theplotbunny

Poll #5182 theme blurbs to describe each theme for screen reader users

Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 47

View Respondents

This suggestion:

View Answers

Should be implemented as-is.
41 (87.2%)

Should be implemented with changes. (please comment)
0 (0.0%)

Shouldn't be implemented.
0 (0.0%)

(I have no opinion)
6 (12.8%)

(Other: please comment)
0 (0.0%)

Comments

[theplotbunny]

I wasn't sure about styles, themes seemed to be different to me, but that is probably as these are both visual mediums, I had no idea they were the same? Has the issue been resolved, as I likely stumbled over it and couldn't find anything. If not, I hope this will be adopted by the staff as soon as time permits. ^_^

[azurelunatic]

I read through the bug just now, and while the title just says 'styles', the bug covers both styles and themes. The bug is marked 'unassigned', which indicates that none of the developers have taken it up yet, so it is not yet resolved.

Styles and themes are a little different. As I understand it (and someone with more experience, feel free to correct me), styles are the basic structures for the way everything appears and is arranged in the journal. Themes are variations starting from that style. Styles say what is able to appear (header, footer, sidebars, entries, icons, etc.) and their basic properties (where on the page, how big, etc.). Typically themes will alter the colors; sometimes themes will alter the placement of journal elements like sidebars, or decide whether to show or hide something.

[theplotbunny]

Thank you for clarifying that for me, and probably others. I am still trying to figure what term means what, as with 'layouts' those I assume are picture backgrounds, but if I wanted soemthing like that, I'd definitely need help in setting up soemmthing like that, evn though I cannot see it myself, it's nice to know you've got say a fantasy, or sci-fi, or historical to Native American backdrop to your journal... if that I'm on the right track, but thank you again! ^_^

[azurelunatic]

"Layout" is more of a general, non-technical term that encompasses everything about how a journal is displayed. Someone might say "I changed my layout" and mean anything from changing a background image as you mentioned, but also moving the icons from one side of the entry to the other, changing something else in their Customize Journal Style page, changing something in any custom CSS, or picking another theme for the same style, or picking a whole new style and theme.

[theplotbunny]

I see, so I might explore that, and find out if I can do some of these things myself, if not, I could always ask for help from somebody, thank you again and have an awesome weekend! ^_^