RE: ALT tag preferences

I agree that <alt> text should convey the function or "message" of the
graphic. The function of a list bullet is to denote an item in the list. If
we already know that something is an item, then <alt> text for it's bullet
isn't really necessary and you could just use <alt="">.

Using <alt="--"> or <alt="-"> seems closer to a description of the bullet
than an explanation of it's function. In addition, to be practical, the
browser or reader would have to translate "--" or "-" as something the user
would recognize as a list bullet. Mike Scott's testing of JAWS and Home
Page Reader indicates this doesn't happen on reliable basis.


Guy M. Fisher

Cleveland, Ohio
guyfisher@email.com


-----Original Message-----

From: David Poehlman [mailto:poehlman1@home.com]
Sent: June 29, 2001 4:53 p.m.
To: guyfisher@email.com; w3c-wai-ig@w3.org; 'Tyler Kendall'
Subject: Re: ALT tag preferences

I disagree.  we know it is an item, we want to know if it has a
designation.  if you want to designate a bullet, you use something that
stands for a bullet like -- or -.  if you want to charactize something with
different types of bullets than the same thing that applies for regular
images with alt applies here.  what are you trying to convey. new is a good
word in place of the bullet that represents a new thing. if the green
bullet represents new and the red bullet represents discontinued, you put
new in the alt for the green and discontinued in the alt for the red.
Function is what we are aiming for in knowing what something does on a
site.  description is for another tag or place.

Received on Saturday, 30 June 2001 12:23:39 UTC