[bphogan]

There are a lot of web application developers out there don't have a clue how to build accessible web applications. JS is not required to log in to sites, nor is it required to send data back to the server. But devs do it because they see other sites do it, and rather than learn how to do it the right way, they just do it the way they see how. Blind and low-vision users disable JS too, because it prevents popups from taking focus, and prevents mouseover events that can also mess with people who have motor impairments.

Javascript is a great way to enhance the user experience, but you are being irresponsible if you develop sites that only work with JS enabled. It's seriously not that hard. Make it work first, then detect xhr on the server to add the nice partial updates, etc. And don't tell me it costs more money to do that. If it does, you designed it wrong or chose tools that are inherently inaccessible. In both cases the blame falls on you.

Full disclosure; I am a low-vision web application developer, born with congenital cataracts, along with my father and my daughter. Developers who use the excuse of "you have to have JS on for my stuff to work" make me incredibly angry, so I tried to keep this as civil as possible.