Re: Split Issue 30?

Laura Carlson, Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:44:00 -0600:
> Hi Leif,
> 
>> My opinion: It makes sense to not mix the issue of whether
>> aria-describedby can point to content with the @hidden attribute,
>> together with the issue of whether @longdesc should be
>> conforming.
> 
> If this is the case, perhaps Jonas  will simplifying things for the
> Chairs and withdraw his proposal.

I may have misunderstood the idea behind his proposal, but last time I 
read it, the part about how to make use of @hidden was just one part of 
it. The bulk part of the proposal, however, was about using 
@aria-describedby and - also - exposing full semantics of whatever the 
@aria-describedby points to - to AT users.

As I have perceived it - and said a few times - the problem with using 
@aria-describedby is that it works exactly like @aria-labelledby: No 
mark-up semantics are exposed apart from the one that it 'inherits' 
from the current element. And, till now, the problem with exposing 
semantics, had nothing to do with @hidden. But perhaps, the hidden-ness 
poses an additional problem - though: Having read what Jonas explained 
about CSS boxes, I can imagine that @hidden does pose an additional 
problem.

But remember that content can also be made hidden by being placed off 
screen. Or be hidden as the fallback of an <object> element. So, the 
question of whether @aria-describedby can do what @longdesc can do, 
could be answered even without @hidden: If it can't serve the purpose 
*without* @hidden, then it can't do it *with* @hidden either. But to 
me, the @hidden issue, is just an extra: It may or may not make 
@aria-describedby a more convenient solution - that's all. But it is 
not, I think, the principal issue.

I think it would be super if @aria-describedby could expose full 
semantics. But even in that case - and depending on what 'full 
semantics' really mean, there could still be a room for @longdesc - or 
not. [Well, OK, to the Chairs, then unique use cases for @longdesc 
seems to be crucial.]
-- 
Leif H Silli

Received on Friday, 10 February 2012 17:19:20 UTC