Re: [html4all] HTML5 Alternative Text, and Authoring Tools

Gez

your page says

"When an authoring tool doesn't have anything useful to put in for 
the alt text, the tool shouldn't put anything in. A good authoring 
tool will check for missing alt text and offer to assist the user in 
repairing the content. If an author is adamant they're not going to 
provide alt text, there is no requirement that says the authoring 
tool should provide it in place of the author. "

Generally if I am designing a tool, I want to make sure I always 
generate valid output -- that I am not dependent on my user.  You 
seem to be saying here that the tool must conform to the rules by 
producing non-conformant output.  This may be a difficult message to 
get across. :-)

"The alt attribute is mandatory and MUST NOT be omitted.  If the user 
of an authoring tool does not provide alt text, the authoring tool 
MUST NOT insert the alt attribute."

I'm not sure the spec. editors would be entirely happy with this 
(heck, I am not sure I am or even that you really are).
-- 
David Singer
Apple/QuickTime

Received on Wednesday, 14 May 2008 21:49:19 UTC