Re: label tag question

On Fri, 01 Apr 2005 07:06:35 +1000, David Woolley  
<david@djwhome.demon.co.uk> wrote:

>> If they both work, what is the benefit of using labels over the title
>> attribute?
>
> Label is designed for the purpose, and, if used properly, refers to
> text that will be visible even if the browser doesn't understand
> label.  There is no requirement on browsers to force title onto
> users; it might only be presented if requested by the user, and, as
> it is an HTML 4 addition, might not be recognized by some browsers.

Most of what David says is correct, but label and title are both from HTML  
4 - 1990s technology that many browsers are finaly managing to implement  
now, and I don't think that is an argument one way or another.

Title works for a particular small set of technology - screen readers,  
used by most of the very small proportion of blind Web users, some people  
with low vision, and a few people with reading disabilities*.

For visual users, including people with low vision, various disabilities  
that mean you only see part of the field of vision, difficulties in  
reading or understaning "typical" conventions, the title attribute often  
doesn't help much, because until you navigatetothe box you don't find out  
what it does.

cheers

Chaals

*who are quite possibly the biggest group on the web, but who generally  
don't manage to justify the cost of commercial screen readers, and don't  
think of cheaper options like Home Page Reader or Opera. I wonder if this  
will change as linux-based screen readers become more graphics-friendly.

-- 
Charles McCathieNevile                      Fundacion Sidar
charles@sidar.org   +61 409 134 136    http://www.sidar.org

Received on Friday, 1 April 2005 02:21:43 UTC