Is there a reason to keep "document" and "non-web document" as separate definitions

[daniel-montalvo]

We currently have:

• document
• non-web document (which we'veintroduced after publishing the 11 Dec update.

Is there a reason to keep these two?

[GreggVan]

@daniel-montalvo Good catch

we should combine and have them all under the term "non-web document".

It is generally not a good idea to redefine single english words to mean something different. and Non-web document means videos and more that we would not normally think of as "documents".

[bruce-usab]

+1 to only define "non-web document".

What we have for the document definition, we might want to keep as note to the definition of "non-web document".

No matter what we write, people will ask questions like:

• Are email attachments non-web documents?
• Are emails non-web documents?
• Are all electronic documents non-web documents?
• If all digital documents are non-web documents, why not just use the term “documents” instead of “non-web documents”?
• DOJ ADA Title II rule loosely defines “conventional electronic file”. Is that the same as “non-web document”?
• USAB 508 defines “official agency communication”. Are “official agency communications” the same as “non-web documents”?

Should we start drafting a FAQ?

[GreggVan]

I think we should include a note that says

NOTE: Non-web documents are any electronic informational document or media that is not viewed through a web browser and not considered software itself (i.e. does not have code in it that runs without a player/viewer). Email, email attachments (that are not viewed through a web browser), videos, spreadsheets, txt files, etc. are all examples of non-web documents. Data files that are never meant to be viewed by humans, directly or through a special reader or player, are not considered non-web documents.

[Lboniello]

@pday1 @bruce-usab @GreggVan Do we want to keep the entry in the glossary for "document" (used in WCAG2ICT) and link it to the "non-web document" definition (see non-web document)? I will provide content for "non-web document" in a later comment, but in order to update, I believe we should not remove "document" but link to "non-web document" (and maybe note that in previous versions of WCAG2ICT, "document" and non-web document" were used interchangeably).

[Lboniello]

Document

The term document, as used in WCAG2ICT, is used in previous versions of WCAG2ICT interchangeably with non-web document. See non-web document for complete meaning.

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Non-web document

The term non-web document, as used in WCAG2ICT, has the meaning below:

non-web document (as used in WCAG2ICT)

a document that is not a web page, not embedded in web pages nor used in the rendering or functioning of the page

Non-web documents are any electronic informational document or media that is not viewed through a web browser and not considered software itself (i.e. does not have code in it that runs without a player/viewer). Email, email attachments (that are not viewed through a web browser), videos, spreadsheets, txt files, etc. are all examples of non-web documents. Data files that are never meant to be viewed by humans, directly or through a special reader or player, are not considered non-web documents.

For clarity, if a document that is viewable on the web is downloaded from the web and distributed off the web, it becomes a non-web document.

Letters, spreadsheets, emails, books, pictures, presentations, and movies are examples of non-web documents.

Anything that can present its own content without involving a user agent, such as a self-playing book, is software. It is not a non-web document.

An assembly of files that represented the video, audio, captions, and timing files for a movie would be a non-web document.

Counterexample: A binder file used to bind together the various exhibits for a legal case would not be a non-web document.

_____________________________________________________

I haven't included all non-web document notes as with the added text from Gregg they seemed redundant. Please review and approve. Deleted: Existing note 1, note 3, note 4, note 6. Please review to determine if those notes should be kept.
Also removed circular link to "document" glossary term in "non-web document" definition. @pday1