RE: Adaptive Image Element Proposal

> From: Anselm Hannemann [mailto:info@anselm-hannemann.com] 
>
> > Hi Lief,
> > > Needless complexity: The complexity is related to lack of support for
> > > <picture> 
> > 
> > That's right. That is why Mat will be changing the draft spec to use
> > <img>  with alt for the short text alternative not <picture>  and a new
> > text alternative method.
> > http://lists.w3.org/Archives/Public/public-html/2012Sep/0016.html

> > 
> What? Why do we rely on the img-fallback(!) now?
> I always thought the img-element is not required but optional (for fallback
> methods). If we now rely on img for alt-attribute this would require to alway
> have an img-tag inside of the picture-tag. This is what I call complexity.
> It might be handier to not have to specify 2 alt-attribute-values but longterm
> it is bad spec. The only two valid strategies would be the long version inside
> the picture-element or the alt-attribute for the picture-element.
> 
> Sorry, I speak for my own but this is a longterm consideration.

<picture> needs a fallback of some sort otherwise users in current and older browsers won't see any image at all.

<img> allows authors to specify a fallback image for those users who can see the image but don't have a <picture>-capable browser.

For users who simply cannot see images (whether vision impairment or unfortunate connection), there still needs to be a text fallback somewhere in there. If <img> will be part of <picture> and <img> already has rules for @alt, then requiring @alt on <picture> just creates more complexity (room for error, mismatches, etc). Therefore, just lean on @alt from the <img> that will already be there.

With this method the only complexity above what web developers do today is adding the <picture> and its children. And that additional complexity will only be there if a developer wants to use this new feature.

This only addresses the short text alternative, but I think that's the one you are questioning.

Is there a piece I am missing in my (attempted) logic?

Received on Thursday, 6 September 2012 18:23:13 UTC