Re: simultaneous rendering of image and its descriptor

aloha, jan!

i concentrated on a "long descriptor" because it usually (currently)
takes the form of an external resource that can be pulled into an 
IFRAME, rendered in a UA's sidebar, rendered in place of graphic,
etc.

for short descriptors, a UA would reuse the value of the "alt"
attribute to create a visible caption -- of course, the user must 
have control over the rendering of the caption -- respect user's 
pre-set colors, fonts, etc., allow for exposure above or below the 
object being described, encase the image and short descriptor in a 
DIV so that a style rule can be applied that visually binds together
the image and the descriptor using the CSS box model (basically, the
text and the image in a CSS-defined visual box) so as to provide a 
caption/terse description of the object being described, and an 
explicit (programmatically) as well as implicit (that is, visual) 
container for the pair (image/descriptor) ...

short descriptors are a bit different, in that their "alt" text 
(or whatever form a short descriptor takes) must be available to 
the end user whether or not the image itself is rendered -- in a 
locked-down or multi-use terminal scenario, it may not be possible
for an individual to turn image rendering off, or it may be dis-
advantageous to a colleague to do so, so whether or not an image 
is rendered, the "alt" text must be available to the user, either
on demand (onFocus announcement, onMouseOver, through a dedicated 
keystroke sequence, etc.) or by default, which means that the UA
has to carry the "alt" value into the DOM when images are rendered,
so that the "alt" text is available for exposition either natively 
by the UA or through the passing of information from the UA to the
AT via the DOM...

did i clarify things, or just further muddy the waters?
gregory.

PS: i can do much better on "doing more" through use of ARIA -- an 
example of the necessary markup will be forthcoming (as soon as i 
can get to it)
  ------------------------------------------------------------------
  "Let me save you from drowning," said the monkey as he placed the 
  fish into a tree.                                 -- Hindu proverb
  ------------------------------------------------------------------
                Gregory J. Rosmaita <oedipus@hicom.net>
      Camera Obscura: http://www.hicom.net/~oedipus/index.html
  ------------------------------------------------------------------

---------- Original Message -----------
From: Jan Richards <jan.richards@utoronto.ca>
To: "Gregory J. Rosmaita" <oedipus@hicom.net>
Cc: w3c-wai-ua@w3.org
Sent: Thu, 25 Oct 2007 22:50:51 -0400
Subject: Re: simultaneous rendering of image and its descriptor

> Hi Gregory,
> 
> Why just the "long descriptor"? What about short descriptors? 
> Would providing these via an image properties dialog be sufficient?
> 
> -Jan
> 
> Gregory J. Rosmaita wrote:
> > aloha!
> > 
> > i'm not sure whether the following falls under 3.6 or 3.7 or in a 
> > checkpoint of its own:
> > 
> > 1. Allow configuration to allow simultaneous rendering of an image 
and 
> > its long descriptor
> > 
> > use cases:
> > 1. user with severely restricted viewport needs guidance through the 
flow 
> > of the image; 
> > 
> > 2. are users with cognitive processing issues who will require 
guidance 
> > through the detailed description
> > 
> > (more use cases at:
> > http://esw.w3.org/topic/HTML/LongdescRetention
> > the page name is misleading, as the actual title of the page is 
> > "Image Equivalent Content", the "Requirement" of which is recorded 
thus:
> > 
> > "In situations where images are not available to the user (because of 
> > disability, choice, or UA limitation) there is a need for a mechanism 
> > that presents equivalent content to the user, either as an 
alternative to 
> > the image or in a side-by-side exposition. Equivalent content is not, 
nor 
> > should it be, and either/or proposition, and its method of exposition 
> > should be subject to user control, as some user groups may need both 
the 
> > image and its detailed description in order to make sense of the 
image 
> > or [WINDOWS-1252?]— in the case of a user with an extremely small 
viewport [WINDOWS-1252?]— to follow 
> > the image's flow."
> > 
> > and, yes, if that sounds familiar, its because i wrote it)
> > 
> > as for the "doing more" portion, here is what i verbally proposed at 
> > today's telecon:
> > 
> > --- DOING MORE ---
> > Support for ARIA concept of "context menus" for objects/elements:
> > 
> > 1. expose entire range of possibilities available to the user via a 
> > context menu
> > 
> > 2. limit range of possibilities to user-defined pre-selection (via 
> > preferences)
> > 
> > 3. exclude/include content-types/formats through UA's user preferences
> > 
> > No matter which setting the user sets as the default, there must be a 
> > mechanism that enables the exposure of the full range of 
possibilities -- 
> > even when a user has pre-set what content-types to include, as the 
author 
> > may not have provided any conditional/alternative content that meets 
the 
> > user's pre-set criterion.  It is for this reason that support for 
ARIA 
> > context menus is strongly encouraged, as they can display the entire 
> > range of controls and options available to the end user.
> > --- END DOING MORE ---
> > 
> > RESOURCE NOTE FOR UAWG:
> > 
> > Note: the first instances of the string "context menus" should link 
to 
> > the ARIA document or the ARIA Best Practices document (which 
currently 
> > exists only on the ESW wiki, but which is being pulled together into 
a 
> > W3C note)
> > 
> > Relevant ARIA Properties:
> > 
> > 1. latest PF Editor's draft (member-confidential)
> >     http://www.w3.org/WAI/PF/Group/adaptable/#haspopup
> >     http://www.w3.org/WAI/PF/Group/adaptable/#controls
> >     http://www.w3.org/WAI/PF/Group/adaptable/#owns
> > 
> > 2. latest public draft
> >     http://www.w3.org/TR/2007/WD-aria-state-20071019/#haspopup
> >     http://www.w3.org/TR/2007/WD-aria-state-20071019/#controls
> >     http://www.w3.org/TR/2007/WD-aria-state-20071019/#owns
> > 
> >   ------------------------------------------------------------------
> >   "Kill the rattlesnake that gives no warning; spare the one that 
> >    does."                                    -- Lenni Lenape proverb
> >   ------------------------------------------------------------------
> >                 Gregory J. Rosmaita <oedipus@hicom.net>
> >   Camera Obscura:           http://www.hicom.net/~oedipus/index.html
> >   Oedipus' Online Complex:  http://my.opera.com/oedipus/
> >   UBATS - United Blind Advocates for Talking Signs: http://ubats.org
> >   ------------------------------------------------------------------
> > 
> > 
> >
> 
> -- 
> Jan Richards, M.Sc.
> User Interface Design Specialist
> Adaptive Technology Resource Centre (ATRC)
> Faculty of Information Studies
> University of Toronto
> 
>    Email: jan.richards@utoronto.ca
>    Web:   http://jan.atrc.utoronto.ca
>    Phone: 416-946-7060
>    Fax:   416-971-2896
------- End of Original Message -------

Received on Friday, 26 October 2007 16:54:38 UTC