Empty ALT=""

Chris and others interested in the matter,

   I agree everything SHOULD have a purpose, but in the "real-world" case of
a 1x20 transparent GIF for spacing, I really cannot see the purpose of
(automatically) adding any other ALT than ALT="". What could be the interest
of a text-only user to see ALT="decoration image" for this case???
    -----Original Message-----
    From: Chris Ridpath [mailto:chris.ridpath@utoronto.ca]
    Sent: Monday, November 16, 1998 3:11 PM
    To: mike
    Subject: Re: Automatic Alt Text Generation


    Michael,

    I'm looking forward to looking at the specs for your semester project
next week. Please let me know when they're available.

    It seems to me that everything in the document has a purpose. The
purpose of the decorative image you describe is decoration (ALT="decoration
image"). If you allow ALT="" then the Lynxx user does not know if the
document creator forgot to put in Alt text or it is one of your decoration
images.

    Cheers,
    Chris

        -----Original Message-----
        From: Michael Vorburger <mike@vorburger.ch>
        To: Chris Ridpath <chris.ridpath@utoronto.ca>
        Date: November 14, 1998 10:12 AM
        Subject: RE: Automatic Alt Text Generation


        Chris

          tx for pointing me to the WAI-AU mailing list, which I did not
know before. I read the web archive of the ALT text discussion. My ALTifier
tool is going to set ALT="" for an IMG which clearly is "decorative only",
like a transparent 1x10 GIF etc. I think this is good and cannot see the
problem with this. I did incorporate the relevant parts of Daniel's
text-equiv page into my project.

           I hope to publish the full specification of my semester project
next week and am looking forward to any comments from you and the others
from the list! We will probably also talk about it the next phone
conference.

        Regards,
        Michael
            -----Original Message-----
            From: Chris Ridpath [mailto:chris.ridpath@utoronto.ca]
            Sent: Friday, November 06, 1998 3:56 PM
            To: mike
            Subject: Re: Automatic Alt Text Generation


            Michael,

            Daniel has a page with several ideas concerning the automatic
creation of Alt text. A couple of the ideas were discussed in the phone
conversation but I haven't seen the minutes yet. Daniels ideas can be found
at:

            http://www.w3.org/WAI/ER/text-equiv.htm

            There has been some discussion about the generation of automatic
Alt text on the w3c-wai-au@w3.org list.

            The current authoring tool guidelines can be found at:

            http://www.w3.org/WAI/UA/WD-WAI-USERAGENT-19981030/

            They haven't been updated to include the suggestions for
automatic Alt text generation yet.

            Hope this helps,
            Chris

                -----Original Message-----
                From: Michael Vorburger <mike@vorburger.ch>
                To: Chris Ridpath <chris.ridpath@utoronto.ca>
                Date: November 6, 1998 5:22 AM
                Subject: RE: Automatic Alt Text Generation


                Hello Chris

                  I was unfortunately not able to participate in the conf.
call this time. I am very interested in the suggestions for Automatic ALT
Text generation. Could you maybe send them to me by private mail, or point
the URL of the authoring tool guidelines if already published? I will be
happy to comment on them.

                Tx,
                Michael
                    -----Original Message-----
                    From: w3c-wai-er-ig-request@w3.org
[mailto:w3c-wai-er-ig-request@w3.org]On Behalf Of Chris Ridpath
                    Sent: Thursday, November 05, 1998 9:58 PM
                    To: w3c-wai-er-ig
                    Subject: Automatic Alt Text Generation


                    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.