W3C

W3C published today a report summarizing the Open Data on the Web workshop that took place in April. The report summarizes the major themes discussed and conclusions arising from them. Participants discussed how to bridge the gap between the worlds of tabular and linked data, and how to ensure the long term growth of the Web as a platform for data.

Sponsored by Google, Adobe and Microsoft, the workshop was organized by W3C in conjunction with the Open Data Institute and the Open Knowledge Foundation, and hosted by Google at Campus London. Learn more about the Semantic Web.

The Education and Outreach Working Group (EOWG) invites comments on a new draft document: Easy Checks - A First Review of Web Accessibility. Easy Checks helps you assess if a Web page addresses accessibility. It provides simple steps for anyone who can use the Web; no accessibility knowledge or skill is required. The checks cover just a few accessibility issues and are designed to be quick and easy, rather than definitive. Learn more about the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI).

One aspect of mobile accessibility is how web browsers on mobile devices support the accessibility needs of people with disabilities. Accessibility of web browsers is covered in User Agent Accessibility Guidelines (UAAG). The User Agent Accessibility Guidelines Working Group (UAWG) today published an updated Working Draft of Implementing UAAG 2.0, which explains how browsers, media players, and other "user agents" should support accessibility for people with disabilities and work with assistive technologies. The update provides a page of Mobile Accessibility Examples from UAAG that show how web browsers that follow UAAG benefit people with disabilities using the Web on mobile devices. Learn more about W3C WAI's broader work related to Mobile Accessibility and about the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI).

The HTML Working Group has published an updated Working Draft of the HTML5 Image Description Extension. This specification defines the "longdesc" attribute that enables web authors to provide longer text descriptions for complex images. It is developed by the HTML Accessibility Task Force in coordination with the HTML Working Group and the WAI Protocols and Formats Working Group (PFWG). Please see important additional information in the call for review e-mail. This Working Draft is available for review through 20 June 2013 to determine if there are any outstanding issues before it progresses to Last Call. Learn more about the HTML Activity and the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI).

The Web Applications Working Group has published two documents today:

• A Group Note of Widget Updates. This specification defines a process and a document format to allow a user agent to update an installed widget package with a different version of a widget package. A widget cannot automatically update itself; instead, a widget relies on the user agent to manage the update process. The working group reached consensus to stop work on this specification. It is published for archival reasons and no longer progresses along the W3C's Recommendation Track.
• A Working Draft of Introduction to Web Components. This document is a non-normative reference, which provides an overview of Web Components. It summarizes the normative information in the respective specifications in easy-to-digest prose with illustrations.

Learn more about the Rich Web Client Activity.