14 Apr 2005

Gmail Basic HTML View

One of Gmail’s newest features is a basic HTML view for web browsers lacking support for fancy XMLHttpRequest wizardry. Disable JavaScript and log in if you want to take a look at how they’ve broadened compatibility.

But I think Google made a mistake by trying to mimic the standard interface with font tags and nested tables instead of using simple, standards-compliant markup (including squeaky-clean accessibility measures) and a carefully streamlined layout (usable even with mobile ’phones). If you’re going to bother to create a second interface for a major web application it might as well be fully accessible for all users and web browsers, right?