"tool tip" - alternate use of ALT

Dear IPO/WAI working group members

I found out about something yesterday which I would like to share with
you to ask for you comment:

In today's browsers the use of the so called "tool tip" is introduced.
This is a a text that pops up as soon as your mouse pointer 'hits' an
object e.g. an image. The Alt text attribute is used to store the
text shown to you. This means several things:
- This problem already exists for HTML 3.2 and currently
  available browsers use it.
- There is another reason for designers to use ALT texts.
  This reason might easily conflict with the use of ALT text as
  used in ALTernative ways of reading HTML.
- The argument ALT text can so serve to targets does not work 
  since designers will ONLY serve and follow their main group of
  potential users and use local guidelines for the contents
  of the text in the ALT-attribute.

What is your opinion on this as far as both HTML 3.2 and HTML 4.0 are
concerned?

Best regards,
Jaap

Message from: Jaap van Lelieveld      The Netherlands
              Chairman of EBU commission on Technical Devices and Services
E-mail:       Jaap.van.Lelieveld@inter.nl.net

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Received on Saturday, 18 October 1997 14:23:42 UTC