Re: several messages relating to the alt="" attribute

On Fri, 11 Apr 2008, Dr. Olaf Hoffmann wrote:
> 
> Ian Hickson: 
> >The current text in the spec requires alt="" in all cases 
> >except when the page is generated in a manner where alternative text is 
> >not available, or when there is no possible way to provide text that is 
> >in any way a replacement for the image.
> 
> Ian Hickson:
> > Things that are impossible just take longer.
> 
> If authors know what the purpose of the image is, it should be never a 
> problem to add it. If not, there is no need to put the image on the web 
> page.

How about when the page is generated by someone who doesn't know what the 
image is, e.g. on Flickr?


> >Rorschach inkblot test.
> 
> could be the value of the alt attribute and anyone can look
> on the web, what kind of test this is.

   <figure>
    <img src="r14.jpeg" alt="Rorschach inkblot test">
    <legend>Rorschach inkblot test #14</legend>
   <figure>

...is not any more accessible, and is arguably less accessible, than what 
the spec suggests now:

   <figure>
    <img src="r14.jpeg">
    <legend>Rorschach inkblot test #14</legend>
   <figure>

-- 
Ian Hickson               U+1047E                )\._.,--....,'``.    fL
http://ln.hixie.ch/       U+263A                /,   _.. \   _\  ;`._ ,.
Things that are impossible just take longer.   `._.-(,_..'--(,_..'`-.;.'