Accessibility | Access Keys | File Formats | Scope of Web Site | Site Policy: Link Exchanges | Use of Web Cookies | Copyright | Data Protection | Disclaimer

Accessibility

HTML documents are said to be accessible if they are optimised for users with physical disabilities, and are compliant with a variety of software and hardware configurations. The pages on this site have been tested for accessibility and standards-compliance using software tools designed for the purpose. Where shortcomings were indicated by the tests, we have verified that the effects are minimal. However, we advise that you use a screen with a resolution of at least 1024 pixels in width, and a browser which runs JavaScript 1.1 and HTML 3.2. Most 'modern' and 'main-stream' browsers will suffice, but specialised text-only browsers (especially those that do not recognise HTML Tables), or browsers running within an arcane operating system may not be suitable for reading these pages.
 

Visually-impaired users should note that you can specify the font sizes, styles and colors, and foreground and background colors of web pages displayed on your computer screen, even if the author of the page has already specified these. You can also specify the colour used to indicate links in web pages, or a special colour for links that is used only when the mouse passes over the link. This is useful if you have low vision, need larger fonts, or need high-contrast colors.
 

Some pages on this site require JavaScript to be enabled within your browser. (See further information). Some pages require the use of Web Cookies and so, according to the provisions of the Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003, SI 2426, we are required to provide you with information about the purposes for which we are using them. (See further information).
 

Access Keys

Access keys have been defined for the pages on this site to enable you to navigate using the keyboard shortcuts shown in the list at the foot of this page. Additionally, your browser probably has shortcut keys for back (try alt left-arrow), forward (alt right-arrow) and home (alt home).
 

The Access Keys facility is only supported by MS Internet Explorer 4 and above and by Netscape 6x versions. To use the facility, press the ALT key and, simultaneously, the access key number or letter. Release the keys and then, with some browsers, you need to press the RETURN key. With Macintosh-based systems you should use the CTRL key instead of the ALT key.
 

File Formats: Viewing and Downloading

Some documents on this site are stored in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) or Microsoft Word format. These file formats are used to store documents with complex formatting that the authors would like to preserve (typically text in several columns and mixed with a number of graphics). Some documents may be compressed using WinZip.

PDF: To view and print PDF files, you must have a PDF reader installed. Adobe Acrobat PDF readers are available for download for most computers from adobe.com/products/acrobat. If you are a RISC-OS user you could try this link or do a Google search. GNU/Linux people might like to use evince, xpdf, gpdf, or kpdf, or try this Google search.

WORD: Microsoft Word viewers and converters are available from office.microsoft.com/downloads/.

ZIP: You can download WinZip from winzip.com.
 

Scope of Web Site

Like any Web site, it is sometimes difficult to tell where one site begins and another ends. Even within the BCRA site, the responsibility for some pages has been delegated to SIGs, meetings organisers, bibliographers and so on. If in doubt about the origin of a page, please contact the BCRA's Web Site Editor.
 

Site Policy: Link Exchanges

This web site is intended, primarily, to provide information about the British Cave Research Association and its activities. It is not a listings site nor is it a diary site. In general, it is the policy of this web site not to accept requests for link exchanges with other organisations. Instead, there are a number of privately-maintained listings and diary sites for caving and speleology which you may wish to make use of. If you encounter a listings site that you think has particular merit, and you let us know, we may consider linking to it.
 

The reason for our policy arises out of considering what good is a listings list that only lists links to a few organisations, and what use is a diary that only lists a few items? What inferences can a reader make from such information? He will think that the list is selective; maybe that BCRA has endorsed some organisations and their web sites in preference to others. A listing or diary site has to be comprehensive to be worthwhile. Or to put it another way, if you are requesting that we include a link to your specialist organisation, where on our site should we include it so that it does not look out of place? At this point, you may be thinking "Well, how does a list ever get started". The answer is that it requires a dedicated volunteer whose task it is to compile and maintain a comprehensive list. As noted above, there are a number of such sites and, such is the power of the Internet, it is not necessary for BCRA to set up yet another such site and nor does BCRA have the volunteers to do so. The web site you are reading now is for information about BCRA.
 

Use of Web Cookies

Cookies are small amounts of data that your web browser stores on your computer so that the data is accessible to other web pages. In the UK, section 6 of The Privacy and Electronic Communications (EC Directive) Regulations 2003, SI 2426 requires that cookies are only used by a web server if the user "is provided with clear and comprehensive information about the purposes of the storage of, or access to, that information". Therefore, for a statement on the use of web cookies on this website, please see Using Cookies with this web site.
 

Copyright © BCRA

BCRA owns the copyright in the typographical layout of this publication. Additional copyright in the text, photographs, graphics and computer code resides with the authors. The copyright owners assert their Moral Rights to the maximum extent possible under the Design, Copyright and Patents Act 1988 and any applicable subsequent Acts. Subject to statutory exception and to the extent permitted in this notice no material may be reproduced by any method without permission of the copyright owners. These Web pages may be downloaded onto a hard disk or printed for your personal use provided that you include all copyright statements and that you make no alterations to any of the pages and that you do not use any of the pages in any other work or publication in whatever medium stored.
Also see: Copyright of BCRA Publications
 

Data Protection Policy

BCRA will guard the data of its members, subscribers and other customers in accordance with the Data Protection Act (1998) and its Schedules. Personal data shall be obtained only for the specified purposes of i) administering membership, subscription and sales services and ii) mailing of items solicited by its customers. Additionally, email addresses will be stored for the purpose of administering web and email forums to which the customer has opted to subscribe and by such action indicated his agreement to any stated or implied terms and conditions. Data will not be disclosed to any third party nor used for any purpose other than those stated above without the express consent of the customer. Data may be stored at more than one location and may be stored on paper and in computer files.
 

Disclaimer

The authors' opinions are not necessarily endorsed by the editor of this Web site, nor the BCRA. Information on this web site is given in good faith but, nevertheless, it may contain errors for which neither the authors nor the BCRA expect to be considered liable. This site is written and maintained entirely by volunteers and any inadequacies in its presentation or deficiencies in its accessibility are due to the fact that volunteers frequently have only limited skills and limited available time.