Re: example spec text for longdesc

Steve Faulkner, Thu, 7 Apr 2011 09:45:34 +0100:
>>Many artists, designers, and marketers do not want
>>their visual designs changed/ruined with visible link text or
>>indicators. Being  free from a visual encumbrance is an asset.
> 
> a simple CSS decalaration (example only this does not work):
> 
> img[longdesc]::marker {display:none}

I saw that ::marker, which is part of CSS3 lists [1], has also been 
suggested for <details>. [2] So, perhaps a good idea. ::marker would 
probably also only be visible UAs with longdesc support, which sounds 
like a good thing.

> will hardly be a barrier  to any of the above.

W.r.t. visible by default or not: 

* while those quite many image gallery and 'fullsize' scripts etc that 
misuse @longdesc only deserve to see such a marker destroying their 
script, there is 
* still the question whether it is smart to do so: perhaps the script 
authors would just opt for the quick fix of setting ::marker to 
display:none? Such a quick fix would not bring any good for unsighted, 
at least.

However, if we took the approach of displaying the ::marker by default 
only whenever the longdesc points to a #fragment, then we'd probably 
avoid that all the (half) conscious misuse of @longdesc cases, would 
get any such ::marker.

But there should also be something there which informs sighted users 
when the ::marker *doesn't* display - like a change in the cursor. For 
example:

[longdesc*="#"]:hover,
    [cite*="#"]:hover{cursor:help} /*Included @cite too.*/

That style rule changes the cursor into a question mark whenever there 
is a @longdesc, but only when the @longdesc contains a fragment 
identifier as part of the link - thereby avoiding to highlight it for 
(most of the) cases where @longdesc have been misused.

This also means that for users of screenreaders, it would be possible - 
if desired - to (continue) to report the presence of @longdesc also 
when the long description resource simply is a page rather than a 
#fragment of a page.

[1] http://www.w3.org/TR/css3-lists/#markers

[2] http://www.w3.org/mid/4D9DCFD0.6010509@lachy.id.au

-- 
leif halvard silli

Received on Thursday, 7 April 2011 20:15:45 UTC