RE: alternative content for cognitive disabilities

Alan,

	Unlike some of the stuff recently discussed about having a summary, the
Alt tag is already available to the visual user. It may be more logical if
Alt didn't display, but instead Title or Caption did ... but since Alt
displays, visual users use it ... If Alt continues to be all that displays,
it's function is likely to change as the web develops.

Like the Alt tag, Summary is likely to prove very popular as the web
develops, not just for the slow folks it starts out to suit, but also the
speed demons and site surfers, who like to lite and go.... 

			Anne

				Anne





At 06:10 PM 4/21/01 +0100, Alan J. Flavell wrote:
>On Fri, 20 Apr 2001, Anne Pemberton wrote:
>
>> 	Alt tags are very usable to visual users if they so choose ... Alt tags
>> let you know what is loading so you can decide to wait or move on ...
>
>Greetings,
>
>I would argue that Alt attributes are supposed to be for supplying a
>properly functional textual replacement or substitute, for whatever
>purpose the images were serving.  This is for use when the image is
>not (for whatever reason) being displayed.
>
>While it's true that it could be appropriate to display them until
>images have been loaded, this isn't the only situation for which
>they're useful; I would have to argue that they're significantly more
>important for the situations where the images aren't going to be
>displayed at all - either because the reader can't see them or because
>the browser is a text-mode browser - and that the choice of an
>appropriate text should be focussed on such a need.
>
>The Title attribute is more apt to be used for a brief description of
>the actual images.  This too can be of interest in the situations just
>mentioned; but it might be interesting to discuss how to make this
>attribute available to a reader while they are waiting for the image
>to load.  Just exactly how to make the two texts available is a matter
>for client agent design.  While I wouldn't disagree that document
>authors have needed to make compromises in the past by reference to
>the actual behaviour of available client implementations, I think
>we're entitled to set reasonable guidelines on the ground, and ask
>content authors and client agent developers to play their respective
>parts in the evolving "deal".
>
>with all best regards
>
>
Anne Pemberton
apembert@erols.com

http://www.erols.com/stevepem
http://www.geocities.com/apembert45

Received on Saturday, 21 April 2001 14:28:36 UTC