Dispatches From The Internets

Setting aside it’s current issues with facts, the idea of using ChatGPT as an improv partner is interesting. Could work well for brainstorming and getting your own creative juices flowing.

The dialog element is ready for prime time:

IMO, the dialog element has reached the tipping point of being the better option for web developers who need to implement dialogs in their web pages. The number of accessibility requirements a developer needs to be aware of, and the level of effort to implement custom ARIA dialogs is now largely taken care of by browsers.

Use it, don’t abuse it.

Steve Faulkner updated his assessment of support for text-level semantics in screen readers and accessibility APIs. He discusses what’s changed in the last 15 years (since his last assessment) and what it means in terms of conformance with respect to accessibility guidelines.

I love it when organizations share their strategy. In this case, it’s the UK government’s GDS sharing how they plan to approach accessibility, going forward.

Having worked in the D&I space within Microsoft for a few years now, it’s great to see the things we’ve been discussing internally making it out into the world.

It all goes hand-in-hand:

1. Screen in for diverse perspectives during the interview process.
2. Foster inclusive teams that value and promote people for not only their productive capacity, but also their unique experiences & perspectives.
3. Empower everyone to influence product/service design.
4. Release products that serve everyone because those products were created by people who share lived experiences with everyone.

We talk a lot about needing to improve the ethics of our supply chains when it comes to mineral extraction and factory conditions, but we need protections for knowledge workers too!

I have mixed emotions about this move to repurpose the utterly terrifying Boston Dynamics robots as service robots, but there are some upsides too.

• Pro: No waste to clean up & dispose of
• Pro: Can be used by people with allergies
• Pro: Has no mouth, will never bite
• Pro: People are less likely to try to pet/distract your service robot
• Pro: Can likely be trained (or sensor-enabled) to recognize more objects and scenarios than a dog can (or at least the specific breeds we employ as service animals)
• Pro: Would be of service for someone’s lifetime (and beyond) if maintained properly
• Pro: Knowledge & personality (if there is one) can be migrated to a new robot if the current one breaks
• Questionable: Potentially less costly to own, assuming power & maintenance is less than the US$1000-2000/yr it costs to own the average dog
• Con: Far more expensive upfront
• Con: Unlikely to be a companion in nearly the same way (though robots with personality is something folks are working on)
• Con: Not warm or furry