Time To Cease Providing Access to HTML Versions of PowerPoint Files

I gave one of my first talks at UKOLN at Warwick University on 16-17th December 1996. As can be seen I made my PowerPoint file available in HTML format as well as providing access to the PowerPoint version. Ever since then I have always provided a HTML version of my PowerPoint slides available, which covers approximately 365 presentations.

I made a decision to do this since HTML is a more readily accessible format than the Microsoft PowerPoint format and even though the HTML files use proprietary extensions I have viewed the files on various devices, including a digital TV.  I had hoped that eventually it would be normal practice to provide access to presentations in an open HTML format, as well as the host format. In practice this has not happened, and suggestions that organisations may be taken to court for infringing WCAG accessibility guidelines by failing to provide access to open standard alternatives to proprietary formats has not happened.

I have therefore decided to abandon  my long-established tradition of providing a HTML version of my Power Point files.   This new policy will start from January 2011.