Upcoming Workshop: Digital Publication Layout and Presentation (from Manga to Magazines)

26 June 2018

W3C announced today a W3C Workshop on Digital Publication Layout and Presentation (from Manga to Magazines), September 18-19 2018, in Tokyo, Japan. The event is hosted by the Advanced Publishing Laboratory, at the historic Mita Campus of Keio University.

The primary goal of the workshop is to bring together experts to evaluate the current status and explore future directions of visually-rich long-form digital publications based on Web Technologies (particularly CSS, the formatting language of the Web), encompassing both fixed and dynamic layouts.

Expected topics of discussion include:

• Advanced layout using recent and upcoming CSS innovations, particularly for mobile and other devices (CSS grid, viewport units, media queries, css-shapes, etc.)
• “Smart transitions” for manga/comics including “Turbo Media” and other new forms
• Analysis of proprietary platforms in comics, magazines, and other verticals
• Comparison of image-dominated and text-dominated fixed-layout (and considerations for choosing reflowable vs. fixed representations, such as accessibility)
• Differences between rendering of fixed-layout EPUB in dedicated EPUB reading systems and typical browser rendering of HTML-SVG-CSS, and considerations for convergence
• Accessibility for high-design digital publications
• Innovative and interactive high-design digital publications
• Use of interactive features (e.g., scroll snap) of CSS for sequential art
• Programmatic (JavaScript) vs. declarative (HTML/CSS, SVG) representations
• Lessons learned from IDPF efforts on advanced hybrid layout and page templates
• Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques as applied to content production (such as inferring CSS layouts from images) and accessibility (such as inferring reading order and other accessibility characteristics)
• Internationalization of high-design digital publications
• Print formatting of high-design publications via CSS
• Responsive design for long-form publications
• Possibilities afforded by emerging Web Fonts capabilities (chromatic fonts, variable fonts, etc.)
• Color management

For more information on the workshop, please see the workshop details and submission instructions. Expression of Interest and position statements are due by 20 July 2018.

Call for Review: Graphics-ARIA and Graphics-AAM are W3C Proposed Recommendations

26 June 2018

The Accessible Rich Internet Applications Working Group has published two Proposed Recommendations:

• WAI-ARIA Graphics Module (Graphics-ARIA): Assistive technologies need semantic information about the structures and expected behaviors of a document in order to convey appropriate information to persons with disabilities. This specification defines a WAI-ARIA 1.1 [WAI-ARIA-1.1] module of core roles specific to web graphics. These semantics allow an author to express the logical structure of the graphic to assistive technologies in order improve accessibility of graphics. Assistive technologies could then enable semantic navigation and adapt styling and interactive features, to provide an optimal experience for the audience. These features complement the graphics and document structure elements defined by HTML [HTML52] and SVG [SVG2].
• Graphics Accessibility API Mappings (Graphics-AAM): This specification defines how user agents map the WAI-ARIA Graphics Module [GRAPHICS-ARIA-1.0] markup to platform accessibility APIs. It is intended for user agent developers responsible for accessibility in their user agent so that they can support the accessibility of graphics such as that created for [SVG] or [HTML52]. The implementation of this specification in user agents enables authors to produce more accessible graphics by conveying common graphics semantics to assistive technologies. It provides Accessibility API Mapping guidance for the roles defined in the WAI-ARIA Graphics Module [GRAPHICS-ARIA-1.0].

These documents are part of the WAI-ARIA suite described in the WAI-ARIA Overview. Comments are welcome through 

W3C Invites Implementations of CSS Fonts Module Level 3

26 June 2018

The CSS Working Group invites implementations of an updated Candidate Recommendation of CSS Fonts Module Level 3. This CSS3 module describes how font properties are specified and how font resources are loaded dynamically. The contents of this specification are a consolidation of content previously divided into CSS3 Fonts and CSS3 Web Fonts modules. The description of font load events was moved into the CSS Font Loading module.

CSS Basic User Interface Module Level 3 (CSS3 UI) is now a W3C Recommendation

21 June 2018

The CSS Working Group has published CSS Basic User Interface Module Level 3 (CSS3 UI) as a W3C Recommendation. This specification describes user interface related properties and values that are proposed for CSS level 3 to style HTML and XML (including XHTML). It includes and extends user interface related features from the properties and values of CSS level 2 revision 1. It uses various properties and values to style basic user interface elements in a document. This specification is implemented in all modern browsers.

CSS is a language for describing the rendering of structured documents (such as HTML and XML) on screen, on paper, in speech, etc.

W3C Invites Implementations of WebRTC 1.0: Real-time Communication Between Browsers

21 June 2018

The Web Real-Time Communications Working Group invites implementations of an updated Candidate Recommendation of WebRTC 1.0: Real-time Communication Between Browsers. The WebRTC 1.0 specification defines JavaScript APIs to enable real-time audio, video and data exchange on the Web. Since the previous publication as Candidate Recommendation, the specification was updated with a number of bug fixes and clarifications in its algorithms. The following new APIs were added as part of these improvements: RTCRtpSender.setStreams(), RTCRtpTransceiver.currentDirection, RTCSctpTransport.maxChannels, RTCPeerConnection.onstatsended, and the RTCStatsEventinterface.

W3C Staff Kaz Ashimura wins TTC award for Information Communication Technology

20 June 2018

W3C announced today it was offering Diversity Scholarships. The announcement was made as part of the publication of W3C top-level diversity statistics.

The lack of diversity in tech is a longstanding issue. We would like W3C to be a model of supporting diversity. As an international organization we can see the immense value we gain from having expertise from across multiple countries and cultures. Soon 50% of the world will be on the Web. We know we will need to reflect the diversity of the whole of our world as more and more people begin to access, use and continue to create the Web in all its full potential.

During the Spring W3C Advisory Committee Meeting, a panel on diversity focused on progress we have made and how much more is required. W3C has established a modest fund for TPAC Diversity Scholarships, sponsored by W3C Members Samsung Electronics, The Paciello Group, Consensus System and Microsoft.

Applicants must be from a traditionally underrepresented and/or marginalized group in the Web community, including but not limited to: persons identifying as LGBTQ, women, persons of color, and/or persons with disabilities; and be unable to attend without some financial assistance. Please submit or share with friends who qualify and might be interested, by 15 July.

If your organization or yourself wishes to become a sponsor, please e-mail us!

CSS Color Module Level 3 is a W3C Edited Recommendation

19 June 2018

The CSS Working Group has published CSS Color Module Level 3 as a W3C Edited Recommendation. CSS (Cascading Style Sheets) is a language for describing the rendering of HTML and XML documents on screen, on paper, in speech, etc. It uses color-related properties and values to color the text, backgrounds, borders, and other parts of elements in a document. This specification describes color values and properties for foreground color and group opacity. These include properties and values from CSS level 2 and new values. This specification incorporates errata raised against the previous W3C Recommendation for CSS Color 3. This specification is fully implemented in all modern browsers.

W3C Invites Implementations of Accessible Name and Description Computation 1.1

19 June 2018

The Accessible Rich Internet Applications (ARIA) Working Group invites implementations of Accessible Name and Description Computation 1.1 Candidate Recommendation. This document describes how user agents determine the names and descriptions of accessible objects from web content languages. This information is in turn exposed through accessibility APIs so that assistive technologies can identify these objects and present their names or descriptions to users. Documenting the algorithm through which names and descriptions are to be determined promotes interoperable exposure of these properties among different accessibility APIs and helps to ensure that this information appears in a manner consistent with author intent.

This document updates and will eventually supersede the accessible name and description guidance in the WAI-ARIA 1.0 User Agent Implementation Guide W3C Recommendation. It is part of the WAI-ARIA suite described in the WAI-ARIA Overview.

W3C Strategic Highlights, Spring 2018

13 June 2018

W3C released today its W3C Strategic Highlights – May 2018, a comprehensive survey of the essential work W3C conducts to achieve a Web for All, and select recent work in many areas where the Web can solve arising problems for real people.

A strong emphasis in this report is how progress in many areas demonstrates both the vitality of the W3C and the Web community. We see the maturation and further development of an incredible number of new technology coming to the Web.

This report, was prepared for the Spring W3C Advisory Committee Meeting. We invite you to read W3C CEO’s summary of the Advisory Committee Meeting.

Canonical EXI is now a W3C Recommendation

7 June 2018

The EXI Working Group has published Canonical EXI as a W3C Recommendation. The EXI 1.0 format specifies the syntax of a class of resources called EXI streams. It is possible for EXI streams that are equivalent for the purposes of many applications to differ in physical representation. The Canonical EXI Recommendation specifies a method to get a canonical form, to be used with digital signatures. Even restricted and very limited devices should be able to create or check a canonical EXI stream. This applies to devices that may be able to speak only a given language (according to an XML Schema) or support only a subset of all EXI features.

WebDriver is now a W3C Recommendation

5 June 2018

The Browser Testing and Tools Working Group has published WebDriver as a W3C Recommendation. WebDriver is a powerful technology for enabling automated cross-browser testing of Web applications and more. The WebDriver specification defines a set of interfaces and a wire protocol that are platform-neutral and language-neutral and that allow out-of-process programs to remotely control a browser in a way that emulates the actions of a real person using the browser. More information is available in the blog post: WebDriver Motors on to W3C Recommendation.

Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 is now a W3C Recommendation

5 June 2018

The Accessibility Guidelines Working Group has published Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 as a W3C Recommendation. WCAG 2.1 provides recommendations for making web content more accessible to a wider range of people with disabilities, including auditory, cognitive, neurological, physical, speech, visual disabilities. The guidelines address accessibility of web content on desktops, laptops, tablets, and mobile devices. Following these guidelines also makes your web content more usable to all users in a variety of situations. For more information, see the blog post WCAG 2.1 is a W3C Recommendation and see What’s New in WCAG 2.1. Read about the Accessibility Guidelines Working Group and the Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI). Please see our Press Release.

W3C Workshop Report: Data Privacy Controls and Vocabularies

3 June 2018

W3C published today the final report of the W3C Workshop on Data Privacy Controls and Vocabularies, which was held on 17-18 April 2018, in Vienna (Austria).

The workshop examined the opportunities for privacy vocabularies to be used in conjunction with Linked Data in order to open the path for a new generation of privacy enhancing technologies. Those technologies focus on controlling a compliant data handling. They help with the challenges for privacy and security on the Web of Data and the Web of Things.

The workshop gave a strong message of support for W3C to initiate work on Privacy Vocabularies and Taxonomies and to look further into the idea of guiding data handling with Linked Data annotations. As this is partly still exploratory, the people present encouraged the creation of a Community Group. Since then, the W3C Data Privacy Vocabularies and Controls CG (DPVCG) has been launched. Please, join if you are interested in the topic.

W3C Advisory Committee Elects Advisory Board

1 June 2018

The W3C Advisory Committee has filled five open seats on the W3C Advisory Board. Beginning 1 July 2018, the nine Advisory Board participants are Michael Champion (Microsoft), Jay (Junichi) Kishigami (NTT), Charles McCathie Nevile (Yandex), Florian Rivoal (W3C Invited Expert), Natasha Rooney (GSMA), Tzviya Siegman (Wiley), David Singer (Apple), Léonie Watson (The Paciello Group), and Judy Zhu (Alibaba). Many thanks to Tantek Çelik (Mozilla) and Chris Wilson (Google), whose terms end this month. Read more about the Advisory Board.

Created in March 1998, the Advisory Board provides ongoing guidance to the W3C Team on issues of strategy, management, legal matters, process, and conflict resolution. The Advisory Board also serves the W3C Members by tracking issues raised between Advisory Committee meetings, soliciting Member comments on such issues, and proposing actions to resolve these issues. The Advisory Board manages the evolution of the Process Document. The Advisory Board hears appeals of Member Submission requests that are rejected for reasons unrelated to Web architecture. For several years, the AB has conducted its work in a public wiki.

The elected Members of the Advisory Board participate as individual contributors and not representatives of their organizations. Advisory Board participants use their best judgment to find the best solutions for the Web, not just for any particular network, technology, vendor, or user.

W3C Invites Implementations of CSS Writing Modes Level 4 and Updated CSS Writing Modes Level 3

The CSS Working Group invites implementations of CSS Writing Modes Level 4 Candidate Recommendation and an updatd Candidate Recommendation of CSS Writing Modes Level 3. These documents define CSS support for various international writing modes, such as left-to-right (e.g. Latin or Indic), right-to-left (e.g. Hebrew or Arabic), bidirectional (e.g. mixed Latin and Arabic) and vertical (e.g. Asian scripts). Level 4 is identical to Level 3, except that it contains the previously at-risk features which were dropped from Level 3 and an additional set of changes to more precisely define the box model’s interaction with bidi.

CSS is a language for describing the rendering of structured documents (such as HTML and XML) on screen, on paper, in speech, etc.

W3C Invites Implementations of CSS Containment Module Level 1

The CSS Working Group invites implementations of an updated Candidate Recommendation of CSS Containment Module Level 1. This CSS module describes the 'contain' property, which indicates that the element’s subtree is independent of the rest of the page. This enables heavy optimizations by user agents when used well.

CSS is a language for describing the rendering of structured documents (such as HTML and XML) on screen, on paper, in speech, etc.