Re: Need some help (Alt text and descriptions)

> We also have different uses of graphics.
> 
> 1)  A DECORATION - a decorative picture, a logo, something with no particular information value but which someone may want to know the description of.

As I think Al said, I think the presence of a logo has some
information value to it and this is different for a "rainbow line"
used as an <HR> or some layout spacing hack which are really
decorative.


> 2)  A LABEL/TITLE - a picture which does nothing (not a link) but serves as an identifier, a label, a title or some other information that is important to understanding the organization or purpose of the page or section of the page

Maybe logos fit better here in fact.

> 3)  GRAPHIC PRESENTATION OF INFORMATION - this is information which is presented in graphic form.  Much more than a title, it would require multiple sentences to convey the information that is presented in this image.  And the information is not casual information (e.g. a logo which tries to depict something). But information which is central to understanding the information presented on the page.  Perhaps a chart or diagram.
> 4)  An ANCHOR - a graphic that is serving in place of anchor text for a link.  These anchors graphics sometimes ALSO serve functions 1, 2 , or 3 in addition to being an anchor.
> 

I don't agree that an anchor is in the same category as the
others. Anchors exist in their own context and information about the
anchor target for instance should be conveyed withing the <A> itself
rather than in the graphics context (e.g. using TITLE, or REL)

> For #1 most users just want to know what it is.  Something very
> short to describe it.  For example "IBM logo".  Or "Nova Logo".
> Someone may want to know what it looks like but most users don't
> want to waste viewing space (or download time?) with the
> description.

For the subset of #1 that are really decorative, using ALT="" should
be a possibility.

> 1) all images should have an ALT tag (perhaps we should change the name to FUNCTION tag) that would tell you the FUNCTION of the graphic.  (e.g.  "IBM Logo",  "Section Title: Banana Products",  "Graph of population vs age",  "Divider Line", "bullet" (though some say a bullet should just have an * for the alt text), "More Information", "Search Button", 
> 
> 2) if an image is an anchor then the BROWSER should underline the ALT TEXT and color it just like it does any text anchor.
> 
> 3) All images should have a PARALLEL FILE that is located next to the graphic file and has the same name as the graphic file except that the ending is .txt  or .dsc  .  (Alternately a DESC= tag could be used to indicate that there was a description file. The file could then have any name or location.   This would also allow the browser to provide some indication as part of the alt text that there was a description available for this graphic.  Perhaps a distinctive character could be added to the end of the alt text like a plus. )
> 
> 4) all BROWSERS would have a command that could be issued while on a graphic to cause the text description file (see #3 just above) to be fetched and put into the document in the location of the Graphic (with square brackets around it).  (it would have to be something that was easily accomplished with a screen reader.)  Perhaps an "Alt Click" or "Control Click" on the alt text.   (If there was not description then the browser would beep.)

I think these are good statements. 1 and 3 are markup guidelines,
while 2 and 4 are browser guidelines, so let's try to remember them as
such.

Received on Friday, 11 July 1997 08:00:14 UTC