RE: rationale for keeping alt text spec as normative.

I believe the advice provided in the "HTML 5 Techniques for providing useful text alternatives" contains much better ALT text advice than the advice contained in section 4.8 of the HTML5 spec. 
I strongly object to HTML5 section 4.8 ALT text being included in document going CR. http://www.w3.org/TR/2011/WD-html5-20110525/embedded-content-1.html#general-guidelines
There are many good reasons for this, including 4.8 advice which is contradictory advice to an existing HTML spec, WCAG 2.0
David MacDonaldWCAG Invited Expert since 2002

From: faulkner.steve@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 2 Nov 2012 13:45:57 +0100
To: public-html@w3.org
Subject: rationale for keeping alt text spec as normative.

The specification 'HTML5: Techniques for providing useful text alternatives' [1] contains normative authoring requirements because the HTML5 specification contains normative authoring requirements covering the same topic [2].




The normativity of the authoring requirements in the HTML5 specification and what they require is the root of the issue, so if the normativity of the extension spec is called into question the normativity of the requirements in HTML5 must also be called into question.




The content of the 2 documents on the provision of text alternatives differ:

* The HTML5 specification contains requirements that contradict the requirements of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 [3] and the normative requirements do not have agreement within the accessibility community.


* The Techniques document does not contain requirements that contradict Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 and the normative requirements do have agreement within the accessibility community.



[1]http://dev.w3.org/html5/alt-techniques/
[2] http://dev.w3.org/html5/spec/the-img-element.html#alt


[3] http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20/


-- 
with regards

Steve Faulkner
Technical Director - TPG

www.paciellogroup.com | www.HTML5accessibility.com | www.twitter.com/stevefaulkner




HTML5: Techniques for providing useful text alternatives - dev.w3.org/html5/alt-techniques/
Web Accessibility Toolbar - www.paciellogroup.com/resources/wat-ie-about.html