I have just returned from the fifth (and my second) Dutch PHP Conference (DPC). For the technical staff at Ibuildings the conference is a highlight of our year. Not only do we have a chance to visit the delightful city of Amsterdam, but we also have 3 days of stimulating tutorials and conference talks. There is the added bonus of being able to meet and exchange ideas with fellow developers from all over Europe and further afield, many of whom are the movers and shakers in the PHP world.

We believe it is of such value that all our developers get the chance to go, and few miss it. It is so easy to carry on creating software in the way we have always done, but we can't afford to do that in the rapidly changing world of the internet; we must keep up to date with changing trends and practices and adapt accordingly. Attending conferences such as DPC plays a vital part in this and we would really encourage others to attend, whatever your role in the development process.

Currently millions of people through disability or age find it difficult or impossible to use the web because of accessibility barriers. The international web standards organisation W3C defines accessibility as follows:

"Web accessibility means that people with disabilities can use the Web. More specifically, Web accessibility means that people with disabilities can perceive, understand, navigate, and interact with the Web, and that they can contribute to the Web. Web accessibility also benefits others, including older people with changing abilities due to ageing."

There have been a number of events/developments this year in the UK on the accessibility front that are significant for those responsible for delivering services online.