Re: ALT text revisited

comments marked with dhp below.
On Mon, 16 Feb 1998, Liam Quinn wrote:

> Here's a proposal that aims to provide consistency and simplicity:
> 
> I-1) The role of ALT text:  ALT text provides a textual replacement for an
> image marked up using the IMG element.  The replacement text is functional
> in nature such that the document can be read aloud without knowing that
> images are present.
dhp if it is a button, say it is a button.  but for non functional
graphics, I agree including logos and decorations and markers with
restrictions.
> 
> ALT text should not be used with the APPLET element since richer alternate
> content can be provided as the content of the element.
dhp Is this backward compatible?  can they be labeled outside the applet?
> 
> I-2) The role of TITLE:  The TITLE attribute provides a short textual
> description of the element, whether it be IMG, A, OBJECT, P, etc.  For
> example, the TITLE attribute on the A element would briefly describe the
> link while the TITLE attribute on IMG would briefly describe the graphic
> visually.  Note that using TITLE functionally does not work for elements
> like A where the function--a hyperlink--is implicit in the element itself.
> 
> The TITLE attribute is always optional, but should be used liberally with
> IMG, A, OBJECT, and APPLET elements.
> 
> I-3) Decorative graphics and spacer graphics:  Decorative graphics and
> spacer graphics are not essential elements of a media-independent page and
> should be replaced with nothing (ALT="").  Blind users who want to know
> what the page looks like should first understand that the Web is not a
> visual medium.  If they still want to know what a page might look like
> visually, they should make use of the TITLE and LONGDESC attributes, which
> could be offered upon request by the browser.  (E.g., "List all TITLE
> attributes on images.")
> 
> I-4) The LONGDESC attribute:  The LONGDESC attribute should provide a rich,
> long description of the image.  This attribute is especially useful for
> pure content images like photographs, but is also helpful for logos whose
> visual artistry can convey subtle meanings that would be missed by a
> functional replacement.
> 
> --
> Liam Quinn
> Web Design Group            Enhanced Designs, Web Site Development
> http://www.htmlhelp.com/    http://enhanced-designs.com/
> 

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Received on Tuesday, 17 February 1998 08:52:51 UTC