[whatwg] Speech input element

[timeless]

On Thu, May 20, 2010 at 12:38 AM, David Singer <singer at apple.com> wrote:
> I am a little concerned that we are increasingly breaking down a metaphor,
> a 'virtual interface' without realizing what that abstraction buys us.

I'm more than a little concerned about this and hope that we tread
much more carefully than it seems some parties are willing to do. I'm
glad I'm not alone.

> At the moment, we have the concept of a hypothetical pointer and hypothetical
> keyboard, (with some abstract states, such as focus) that you can actually drive
> using a whole bunch of physical modalities.

> If we develop UIs that are specific to people actually speaking, we have
> 'torn the veil' of that abstract interface.  What happens to people who cannot
> speak, for example? Or who cannot say the language needed well enough
> to be recognized?