The importance of web accessibility part 2 – Section 508 vs. WCAG 2.0

We published a post on the importance of web accessibility back in February. We were very clear that we believe that a fully accessible web will better reflect its global audience and will empower a greater number of people to discover what they need to take a full and active role in their society. So this brief follow-up to the earlier post looks at the implications of web accessibility guidelines in the US market – specifically Section 508. Continue reading

What does Elsevier want with Mendeley?

Mendeley logoThe recent report on TechCrunch that Mendeley is ‘joining’ Elsevier for a sum in the region of $69M-$100M was of especial interest to us at Semantico, prompting memories of the symposium dinner we hosted just a few months back at which Mendeley was a guest. At that point, the company’s talks with Elsevier were not public knowledge. Now the confirmed sale is sparking controversy, and has launched a new hashtag on Twitter – #mendelete – promoted by those who see this particular piece of M&A activity as The Empire acquiring the Rebel Alliance. Speculation is also intense about Elsevier’s plans for its acquisition. Mendeley spoke under Chatham House rules at our Symposium, constraining what we can repeat here, but it is interesting to revisit that conversation in the light of subsequent events. Continue reading