- From: Chuck Letourneau <cpl@starlingweb.com>
- Date: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 08:37:44 -0400
- To: w3c-wai-ig@w3.org
We will have only one difficulty in making a guideline for the use of ALT-text: the difficult part will be to make it concise - because both Gregg and MZ are correct. I think Gregg's quick example of using ALT="bullet" for a bullet graphic was unfortunate, since he has elsewhere used much better examples of ALT-text choices. In practice, I have used something like ALT="Item 1", ALT="Item 2", etc. on bullets when the lists are fairly short or where I really want the reader to notice the distinction. Then I have used the null ALT when there are numerous list items. When I do the latter, I include an alt-text disclaimer stating that images without ALT-text are strictly decorative. And yes, including that statement has annoyed some people who dislike the thought that I am deciding what is important for them. However, having used screen-readers myself, and from training screen-reader users to use the Web, I agree with MZ that if the choice of ALT-text is not truly meaningful or is repeated ad nauseam, then to quote something Dr. Norm Coombs said to me recently "It may be accessible, but it isn't useable!" Regards, Chuck MZ wrote >No - that is one of the most annoying, worst uses of ALT on the web. >bullet product one >bullet product two >bullet product three >You should not use ALT text to describe the image. Describe the meaning >of the image, and if it is decoration, use null text - ALT="" ---- Starling Access Services "Access A World Of Possibility" e-mail: info@starlingweb.com URL: http://www.starlingweb.com Phone: 613-820-2272 FAX: 613-820-6983
Received on Thursday, 23 October 1997 08:37:32 UTC