• New Zealand Government Web Standards 2.0

• New Zealand Government Web Standards 1.0
  • » 1. Images
  • » 2. Colour
  • » 3. Site Markup
    • 3.1 Documents validate to published formal grammars
    • 3.2 Use elements to convey document structure and mark up lists properly
    • 3.3 Do not use deprecated features of W3C technologies
    • 3.4 Relative rather than absolute units
    • Recommendation 3.1.1 Use appropriate mark-up language when it exists
    • Recommendation 3.1.2 Use W3C technologies when available
    • Recommendation 3.1.3 Provide abbreviations for header labels
  • » 4. Special Purpose Documents
  • » 5. Writing Content
  • » 6. Site Content
  • » 7. Page Layout
  • » 8. Navigation
  • » 9. Style Sheets
  • » 10. Dynamic Content
  • » 11. Tables
  • » 12. Frames
  • » 13. Scripting and Applets
  • » 14. Page Refreshing
  • » 15. Site Behaviour
  • » 16. Site Layout
  • » 17. Archiving
  • » 18. Quality Assurance
  • » 19. Data Tracking
  • » 20. Authentication
  • » 21. Security
  • » 22. Online Forms
  • » 23. Tendering and Contracting
  • » 30. Site Delivery
  • » 31. Operational
  • » 32. Web Strategy

Recommendation 3.1.2 Use W3C technologies when available

Use W3C technologies when available

Recommendation 3.1.2 Use W3C technologies when they are available and appropriate for a task and use the latest versions when supported.

Guide to this recommendation

Emphasis is made on using the latest versions "when available". It is important to check that W3C technology, or the version intended for use, is endorsed by the W3C for general use.

Not all W3C-endorsed technologies and standards are endorsed for use in NZ Government web sites by the NZ Government web standards. For this reason, all W3C technologies considered for use in a web site must of course also satisfy all of the NZ Government web standards.

Two key W3C technologies referenced throughout the NZ Government Standards and Recommendations are the use of HTML and Style Sheets.

This recommendation covers the W3C WAI checkpoint 11.1 for NZ government agencies.

Rationale for this recommendation

The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is an independent world wide body that, as a major part of its function, produces open standards for web-based technologies. It also sets the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI).

The NZ Government have endorsed for NZ Government agency web sites, as a basis:

• the W3C technologies, and
• the WAI guidelines

Practically all browser manufacturers attempt to adhere to the W3C's standards. By adhering to W3C technologies for web site design and development, web based applications are more likely to be usable and accessible across a wide variety of browsers and assistive technologies.

Some browser manufacturers like to add certain features that they believe assist usability, accessibility or make their browser more cognisant with other products they may offer. Such features may be outside those endorsed by the W3C and as a result are not supported by other browsers and/or assistive technologies. Likewise, "plug-ins" that do not fully incorporate W3C technologies and/or standards may present usability and accessibility issues.