Re: Improving alt (was handling fallback content for still images)

> > I'd like to extend this to say it can include other elements (block
> > level probably?) which get treated as "contextual information related
> > to the figure". That's explicit enough for me, and pretty easy to
> > author (and probably what is meant, if an author chucks extra stuff
> > within <figure>)
>
> I'm not clear about what you mean here. Are you saying that the non-
> embedded contents of a <figure> should be treated as fallback for the
> primary embedded content within the <figure>.

No, not fallback. It should always be rendered alongside the
video/image/etc. UAs don't need to do anything special. AT could use
it for richer accessibility: e.g. it's contextual information within
the page that relates to the embedded content (of course it relates,
it's part of the figure).

It's kind of like an implied longdesc pointing at a sibling element
(visible to all).


> > We could add in @longdesc and a new element like <longdesc> but I
> > don't see that it adds much and being more proscriptive is probably an
> > unnecessary challenge for authors.
>
> I''m not sure what you mean by "being more proscriptive". The
> <longdesc> element simply adds to what an author can do. I'm not
> suggesting that authors not be allowed to use the <img longdesc="">
> in ways their already accustomed to.

We could do this:

<figure>
<img ... longdesc="#gw">
<div id="gw">
</div>
</figure>

which is aligned with your suggestion. My suggestion is to simplify that to:

<figure>
<img ...>
<div>
</div>
</figure>

i.e. not require @longdesc and a matching @id within the <figure>

Easier for authors. Perhaps not quite as explicit in the markup. But
if we define HTML 5 to work that way, then it would be explicit.
@longdesc is more flexible in that it allows you to reference content
outside the <figure> (indeed, outside the current document).

These are just alternatives to consider. I'm keen on "easier to author".

Received on Sunday, 8 July 2007 09:07:40 UTC