In search of audio standards

I work in an office environment that is quieter than the last library I was in. I was really peeved when audio started coming from my computer from a mouseover function. I didn't click on anything. I was just trying to get to the scrollbar. But, by mousing over an image that was placed between my cursor and the scrollbar, the audio/video experience started unfolding beyond my immediate control. RUDE! That ranks right up there with auto-starting video when I didn't ask for it. I'm not sure what web site this was because it was faster to just close the session, but if I find it again, I'll be sure to pass it along.

Yes, my volume was partly up because (paradoxically) I need to do some training via computer media, so I leave the volume at a really low level. There are no jacks for connecting headphones to the computer. Yeah, so it's an antique.

While I'm at it, if typing in all upper case MEANS THAT YOU ARE SHOUTING on the Internet, then why is it okay when webmasters leave the volume controls on their audio widgets set to Maximum by default and it is not considered rude?

Do webmasters assume we are all hard of hearing? Or that we're all wearing headphones? Or are they still basement-dwellers and it doesn't matter to them where the volume is set? Or have they all copied and pasted the same code?

There are plenty of transmission standards via IEEE (IEEE.org). It doesn't seem to ensure anything about volume. They're obsessed with packets, codecs, and the like. Nor can I find any etiquette about how to leave the volume defaults on widgets.

I've been sampling youtube.com and other sites just to compare the audio settings lately - in either Internet Exploder or Firefox. There is no rhyme or reason. Many sites leave the audio all the way up, and I think that's just stupid.

It just seems to me that if there are five bars on the audio thingy, that the third bar ought to be x level of output through the operating system, which should drive your speakers at 50% (assuming your control panel settings are in the middle). Is that too tough? And couldn't the software companies be coerced, cajoled, or paid off to comply? Hmmm? I like such things to be predictable. Maybe it is too much to ask?

So. For the blast I let out at the office inadvertently, I apologized. It was some annoying ad - a preview of a movie clip where I couldn't set the audio before it started, and it of course was set to the max.

Thanks, Mr Anonymous webmaster. But I'm not deaf. Now turn it down! And get off my lawn while you're at it.