RE: alt tags no with a twist

<<
You've made this assertion, with its implication that the usage of ALT
increased as a result of the implementation as tooltips, before. I've
yet to find any evidence which backs up these assertions. If you can
point me to some, I'd be grateful.
>>

I think it's obvious that ALT text usage has increased, and I credit that to
many sources, including Internet Explorer 3.x and 4.x, along with Netscape
Navigator 4 using ALT as a ToolTip.

<<
... or does your insistence on using the term "ToolTip" as opposed to
"tooltip" mean that you consider that the two are different animals?
That might explain a great many things.
>>

No, my spell checker wants ToolTip, so that's what I write.

<<
>All throughout graphical user interfaces, ToolTips are used to provide
>textual representations of graphical objects.

No... all through GUIs, tootips are used to provide ADDITIONAL
INFORMATION about graphical objects.
>>

I do not agree.  Hovering over a printer icon shows a ToolTip that says
"Print".  In Windows 98, hovering over the [X] button of a windows shows a
ToolTip that says "Close".

"Bubble Help" provides additional information, not ToolTips.  For example
"Prints the current document or selected text.  To change print settings
choose Print... from the File menu."

You and I are going to disagree about this, but other than yourself, no one
has been complaining to Microsoft about this issue.  If you really want to
see the behavior changed, work in the User Agent group and get it added to
the guidelines.  Having a end-less argument on the Interest Group list does
no good.

Charles Oppermann
Program Manager, Active Accessibility, Microsoft Corporation
mailto:chuckop@microsoft.com http://microsoft.com/enable/
"A computer on every desk and in every home, usable by everyone!"

Received on Wednesday, 19 August 1998 16:37:51 UTC