RE: ALT-attribute usage (fwd)

ALT attributes will be needed for the foreseeable future.  For example.
Let's say I have a web page with a spinning red globe and nothing else using
the following source code:

<HTML>
<BODY>
<A HREF="http://www.foobar.com"><IMG SRC="globe.gif" TITLE="this is the
entry to the Foo Bar"></A>
</BODY>
</HTML>

Note that there is no ALT attribute for the image.  Existing screen readers,
using Active Accessibility (which exposes the HTML object model of IE3 and
soon IE4) will know the following about the image:

Type = Graphic
Name = "this is the entry to the Foo Bar"
Description = blank
Value = http://www.foobar.com <http://www.foobar.com> 
State = focusable, link

If TITLE wasn't present, the name wouldn't be known either.  My point is
that ALT is needed to give a *description* of the image.  In this example,
that could be ALT="spinning red globe".  With the advent of TITLE, we can go
back to using ALT for it's original intention.

Of course, they don't have to use Active Accessibility - a screen reader
could talk to the existing object models present in the major browsers.

Charles Oppermann
Windows NT User Interface Group, Microsoft Corporation
mailto:chuckop@microsoft.com http://microsoft.com/enable/
"A computer on every desk and in every home, usable by everyone!"

	-----Original Message-----
	From:	David Poehlman [SMTP:poehlman@clark.net]
	Sent:	Tuesday, November 04, 1997 3:51 AM
	To:	Charles (Chuck) Oppermann
	Cc:	'po@trace.wisc.edu'; w3c-wai-ig@w3.org
	Subject:	RE: ALT-attribute usage (fwd)

	those browsers which are developped to be truly accessible will not
need
	alt tags.  browsers which are here now have been and will be here
for a
	long time to come need a text map of some sort which can be totally
	ignored by those who do not need them.


	On Mon, 3 Nov 1997, Charles (Chuck) Oppermann wrote:

	> I disagree with this - so if I have a picture of a furry dog as my
list
	> item graphic, I as an HTML author need to always use "Item" as the
ALT
	> attribute?  Isn't this a misuse of the ALT attribute?  
	> 
	> Via the HTML object model and Active Accessibility, screen readers
will
	> know they are talking to a list item already.  This guideline only
helps
	> down level browsers and certain screen readers with the *visual*
	> presentation of the list item.
	> 
	> I fear that this kind of guideline only makes adoption less likely
by
	> being confusing.
	> 
	> Charles Oppermann
	> Windows NT User Interface Group, Microsoft Corporation
	> mailto:chuckop@microsoft.com http://microsoft.com/enable/
	> "A computer on every desk and in every home, usable by everyone!"
	> 
	> 	-----Original Message-----
	> 	From:	Gregg Vanderheiden [SMTP:po@trace.wisc.edu]
	> 	Sent:	Monday, November 03, 1997 1:11 PM
	> 	To:	w3c-wai-ig@w3.org
	> 	Subject:	RE: ALT-attribute usage (fwd)
	> 
	> 	Perfect.  Just the feedback we needed.
	> 
	> 	Unless I hear otherwise the guidelines will recommend
	> 
	> 	1)  that any graphics used as bullets have the alt text
"Item"
	> With a 
	> 	character to cause a pause after the word.
	> 
	> 	The two candidates are Comma and Semicolon.   Possibly with
a
	> space 
	> 	afterward to keep the word from running into the next word.
	> 
	> 	Couple of questions to close this one off
	> 
	> 	 - Is there a consensus that there should be "item"?  (I
thought
	> I got one 
	> 	but am not sure)
	> 	- Is comma the proper character for a pause.  It is longer
but
	> longer may 
	> 	not be better.  And Semicolon looks better visually and more
	> natural so it 
	> 	might get included more.     Should we use Semicolon or
comma?
	> 	- Is the space needed?  Can someone confirm?  Is it needed
for
	> comma?   Is 
	> 	it needed for Semicolon?
	> 
	> 
	> 	Thanks much.
	> 
	> 	Gregg
	> 	-- ------------------------------
	> 	Gregg C Vanderheiden Ph.D.
	> 	Guidelines Scribe and Compiler
	> 

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Received on Tuesday, 4 November 1997 20:57:09 UTC