Port "author choice" for logo contrast exception to (text) contrast; add cross-reference from text to non-text for graphic/symbol use

understanding/20/contrast-enhanced.html

@@ -93,25 +93,23 @@ <h2>Intent of Contrast (Enhanced)</h2>
       <p>This requirement applies to situations in which images of text were intended to be
          understood as text. Incidental text, such as in photographs that happen to include
          a street sign, are not included. Nor is text that for some reason is designed to be
-         invisible to all viewers. Stylized text, such as in corporate logos, should be treated
-         in terms of its function on the page, which may or may not warrant including the content
-         in the text alternative. Corporate visual guidelines beyond logo and logotype are
-         not included in the exception.
-
+         invisible or hard to discern to all viewers.         
       </p>
+
+      <p>Beyond logos and logotypes, text that has insufficient contrast due to corporate identity or
+         brand guidelines is <em>not</em> exempted from the requirements of this criterion.</p>
 
       <p>In this provision there is an exception that reads "that are part of a picture that
          contains significant other visual content,". This exception is intended to separate
          pictures that have text in them from images of text that are done to replace text
-         in order to get a particular look. 
+         in order to get a particular look.
       </p>
 
       <div class="note">
 
          <p>Images of text do not scale as well as text because they tend to pixelate. It is also
             harder to change foreground and background contrast and color combinations for images
             of text, which is necessary for some users. See <a href="images-of-text">1.4.5 Images of Text</a>.
-
          </p>
 
       </div>
@@ -128,16 +126,37 @@ <h2>Intent of Contrast (Enhanced)</h2>
       </p>
 
       <div class="note">
+         <p>There are cases where text is heavily stylized – for instance, using a very ornate or distorted typeface – to the point where it acts more as a graphic, rather than text. Similarly, there are situations where text characters are used as symbols – used for their visual appearance, rather than <q>expressing something in human language</q>. These cases fall under the definition of <a>non-text content</a> and the requirements of <a href="non-text-contrast">1.4.11 Non-text Contrast</a>.</p>
+         <figure id="figure-text-stylized">
+            {% include "./img/1.4.3-1.4.6-stylized-text.svg" %}
+            <figcaption>Text using a geometric typeface – arguably acting as an image/non-text content.</figcaption>
+         </figure>
+         <figure id="figure-text-symbols">
+            {% include "./img/1.4.3-1.4.6-buttons-text-symbols.svg" %}
+            <figcaption>Even though the two buttons use text characters — an uppercase <q>X</q>, often used for "Close" buttons, and a <q>&gt;</q> character, to act as a right-pointing arrow — they count as non-text characters/symbols. Their contrast ratio of just above 3:1 passes <a href="non-text-contrast">Success Criterion 1.4.11 Non-Text Contrast</a>.</figcaption>
+         </figure>
+      </div>
+
+      <section>
+         <h3>Logos</h3>
          <p>Text used as part of a logo or logotype is exempted from contrast requirements,
             under the assumption that logos/logotypes must comply with stricter color choices mandated
-            by corporate identity or brand guidelines. However, this can be problematic when
+            by corporate identity or brand guidelines.</p>
+         <p>However, this can be problematic when
             logos or logotypes act as <a>user interface components</a> (such as a link or
-            other interactive control). In these cases, as a best practice, authors should consider
+            other interactive control). In these cases, as a recommended practice, authors should consider
             choosing a variant of the logo or logotype that has sufficient text contrast, if allowed by the
             corporate identity or brand guidelines. Alternatively, authors should consider providing an
             equivalent <a>user interface component</a> which serves the same purpose and meets
             contrast requirements.</p>
-      </div>
+         <p>If logos normally have sufficient contrast but are presented with an insufficient contrast as an author choice,
+            rather than because of corporate identity or brand guidelines, then that particular low contrast
+            presentation is <em>not</em> exempt from the contrast requirements.</p>
+         <figure id="figure-low-contrast-logos-author-choice">
+            <img src="img/1.4.3-1.4.6-logos-author-choice-logos.png" alt="A heading: 'ACME tool is trusted by the world's most innovative companies.'; below the heading, a series of nine company logos, all presented as very dark grey logos on the page's black background, with very low contrast; one logo is hovered with the mouse, and is displayed in white, with high contrast against the page background.">
+            <figcaption>An author chooses to present company logos with low contrast by default, until they are hovered; the fact that these are logos doesn't exempt this scenario from failing the requirements of this success criterion, as the initial low contrast presentation is not "essential"</figcaption>
+         </figure>
+      </section>
 
       <section>
 

understanding/20/contrast-minimum.html

@@ -92,11 +92,11 @@ <h2>Intent of Contrast (Minimum)</h2>
       <p>This requirement applies to situations in which images of text were intended to be
          understood as text. Incidental text, such as in photographs that happen to include
          a street sign, are not included. Nor is text that for some reason is designed to be
-         invisible to all viewers. Stylized text, such as in corporate logos, should be treated
-         in terms of its function on the page, which may or may not warrant including the content
-         in the text alternative. Corporate identity or brand guidelines beyond logo and logotype are
-         not included in the exception.
+         invisible or hard to discern to all viewers.
       </p>
+
+      <p>Beyond logos and logotypes, text that has insufficient contrast due to corporate identity or
+         brand guidelines is <em>not</em> exempted from the requirements of this criterion.</p>
 
       <p>In this provision there is an exception that reads "that are part of a picture that
          contains significant other visual content,". This exception is intended to separate
@@ -123,21 +123,42 @@ <h2>Intent of Contrast (Minimum)</h2>
          <a href="non-text-contrast">Success Criterion 1.4.11 Non-Text Contrast</a>.
       </p>
 
+      <div class="note">
+         <p>There are cases where text is heavily stylized – for instance, using a very ornate or distorted typeface – to the point where it acts more as a graphic, rather than text. Similarly, there are situations where text characters are used as symbols – used for their visual appearance, rather than <q>expressing something in human language</q>. These cases fall under the definition of <a>non-text content</a> and the requirements of <a href="non-text-contrast">1.4.11 Non-text Contrast</a>.</p>
+         <figure id="figure-text-stylized">
+            {% include "./img/1.4.3-1.4.6-stylized-text.svg" %}
+            <figcaption>Text using a geometric typeface – arguably acting as an image/non-text content.</figcaption>
+         </figure>
+         <figure id="figure-text-symbols">
+            {% include "./img/1.4.3-1.4.6-buttons-text-symbols.svg" %}
+            <figcaption>Even though the two buttons use text characters — an uppercase <q>X</q>, often used for "Close" buttons, and a <q>&gt;</q> character, to act as a right-pointing arrow — they count as non-text characters/symbols. Their contrast ratio of just above 3:1 passes <a href="non-text-contrast">Success Criterion 1.4.11 Non-Text Contrast</a>.</figcaption>
+         </figure>
+      </div>
+
       <p>See also
          <a href="contrast-enhanced">1.4.6 Contrast (Enhanced)</a>.
       </p>
 
-      <div class="note">
+      <section>
+         <h3>Logos</h3>
          <p>Text used as part of a logo or logotype is exempted from contrast requirements,
             under the assumption that logos/logotypes must comply with stricter color choices mandated
-            by corporate identity or brand guidelines. However, this can be problematic when
+            by corporate identity or brand guidelines.</p>
+         <p>However, this can be problematic when
             logos or logotypes act as <a>user interface components</a> (such as a link or
-            other interactive control). In these cases, as a best practice, authors should consider
+            other interactive control). In these cases, as a recommended practice, authors should consider
             choosing a variant of the logo or logotype that has sufficient text contrast, if allowed by the
             corporate identity or brand guidelines. Alternatively, authors should consider providing an
             equivalent <a>user interface component</a> which serves the same purpose and meets
             contrast requirements.</p>
-      </div>
+         <p>If logos normally have sufficient contrast but are presented with an insufficient contrast as an author choice,
+            rather than because of corporate identity or brand guidelines, then that particular low contrast
+            presentation is <em>not</em> exempt from the contrast requirements.</p>
+         <figure id="figure-low-contrast-logos-author-choice">
+            <img src="img/1.4.3-1.4.6-logos-author-choice-logos.png" alt="A heading: 'ACME tool is trusted by the world's most innovative companies.'; below the heading, a series of nine company logos, all presented as very dark grey logos on the page's black background, with very low contrast; one logo is hovered with the mouse, and is displayed in white, with high contrast against the page background.">
+            <figcaption>An author chooses to present company logos with low contrast by default, until they are hovered; the fact that these are logos doesn't exempt this scenario from failing the requirements of this success criterion, as the initial low contrast presentation is not "essential".</figcaption>
+         </figure>
+      </section>
 
       <section>
          <h3>Rationale for the Ratios Chosen</h3>

understanding/21/non-text-contrast.html

@@ -345,6 +345,25 @@ <h4>Required for understanding</h4>
 					</ul>
 				</section>
 
+				<section>
+  				<h4>Logos</h4>
+
+	  			<p>Logos are exempted from contrast requirements, under the assumption that they must comply with stricter color choices mandated
+		  		by corporate identity or brand guidelines. However, this can be problematic when logos act as <a>user interface components</a>
+		  		(such as a link or other interactive control). In these cases, as a best practice, authors should consider choosing a variant of
+		  		the logo that has sufficient contrast, if allowed by the corporate identity or brand guidelines.
+		  		Alternatively, authors should consider providing an equivalent <a>user interface component</a> which serves the same purpose and meets
+		  		contrast requirements.</p>
+
+  				<p>If logos normally have sufficient contrast but are presented with an insufficient contrast as an author choice,
+          rather than because of corporate identity or brand guidelines, then that particular low contrast
+          presentation is <em>not</em> "essential", and the logo is <em>not</em> exempt from the contrast requirements.</p>
+
+		  		<figure id="figure-low-contrast-logos-author-choice">
+			  		<img src="img/1.4.11-ntc-author-choice-logos.png" alt="A heading: 'ACME tool is trusted by the world's most innovative companies.'; below the heading, a series of nine company logos, all presented as very dark grey logos on the page's black background, with very low contrast; one logo is hovered with the mouse, and is displayed in white, with high contrast against the page background.">
+			  		<figcaption>An author chooses to present company logos with low contrast by default, until they are hovered; the fact that these are logos doesn't exempt this scenario from failing the requirements of this success criterion, as the initial low contrast presentation is not "essential"</figcaption>
+			  	</figure>
+				</section>
 				<section>
 					<h4>Gradients</h4>
 
@@ -383,8 +402,12 @@ <h4>Infographics</h4>
 				</section>
 
 				<section>
-					<h4>Symbolic text characters</h4>
-					<p>When text characters are used as symbols – used for their visual appearance, rather than <q>expressing something in human language</q> – they fall under the definition of <a>non-text content</a>.</p>
+					<h4>Symbolic or graphical text characters</h4>
+					<p>There are cases where text is heavily stylized – for instance, using a very ornate or distorted typeface – to the point where it acts more as a graphic, rather than text. Similarly, there are situations where text characters are used as symbols – used for their visual appearance, rather than <q>expressing something in human language</q>. These cases fall under the definition of <a>non-text content</a>.</p>
+					<figure id="figure-text-stylized">
+						{% include "./img/1.4.11-stylized-text.svg" %}
+						<figcaption>Text using a geometric typeface – arguably acting as an image/non-text content.</figcaption>
+					</figure>
 					<figure id="figure-text-symbols">
 						{% include "./img/1.4.11-ntc-buttons-text-symbols.svg" %}
 						<figcaption>Even though the two buttons use text characters — an uppercase <q>X</q>, often used for "Close" buttons, and a <q>&gt;</q> character, to act as a right-pointing arrow — they count as non-text characters/symbols. Their contrast ratio of just above 3:1 passes this success criterion.</figcaption>