Re: Automatic Alt Text Generation

One thing that I have been wondering with Web documents, images etc. is if it
would be valuable to be able to have alternate descriptions attached to the
actual objects.

In some cases it would be good if the site would have a database containing
the
descriptions of the common stuff such as company logos etc. So that user's
don't have to write them time after time.

If the alternate descriptions were attached to the object, it could
function as
a default that can be then be changed by authors in different contexts. For
instance,  image with a globe has description "An iconized globe showing
Americas" and when it is used as a icon to global environmental issues the
author changes it with ALT text to "Global environmental issues."

  Marja

At 01:54 PM 11/6/98 -0500, Leonard R. Kasday wrote: 
>
> I don't think that ALT=" " should automatically generated. 
>
> Lets say the author fails to put in ALT text.  In lynx, ALT=" " makes the
> omission invisible.  At least, if there is no ALT attribute, the lynx
user is
> warned that something is missing. 
>
> If the author deliberately wants to put in ALT=" " to signify that the image
> is purely decorative or redundant, that's ok.  But it should not be
> automatic. 
>
> Len 
>
> At 03:57 PM 11/5/98 -0500, Chris Ridpath wrote: 
> >>>> 
>>
>> I've made a couple of suggestions for  inclusion in the authoring tool
>> guidelines as we discussed in the recent  conference call. Please let me
>> know if you have any comments.  HTML tools should NOT generate
'placeholder'
>> ALT  text but should leave the Alt text blank (ALT="") or not generate the 
>> Alt attribute. Placeholder text could be generated by the tool to let the
>> user  know that some text should be added. Examples of this include "Alt
>> text  here" or "Place Alt text here". If placeholder text is generated 
then
>> accessibility checking tools will only see that there is Alt text and 
>> assume the element is accessible. This should be a priority 1 item.  HTML
>> tools should generate  default Alt text with caution. If default text is
>> generated  then the user must be offered the option of changing the text.
>> Priority  2?  Chris 
>
>
>
>
>
> ------- 
> Leonard R. Kasday 
> Institute on Disabilities/UAP at Temple University, Philadelphia PA 
> email:     kasday@acm.org 
> telephone: (215} 204 2247 
>

Received on Friday, 6 November 1998 14:52:59 UTC