Re: HTML Action Item 54 - ...draft text for HTML 5 spec to require producers/authors to include @alt on img elements.

Hi Ian,

> I have saved the proposed text to the graphics-img-alt folder, by the way,
> and will be dealing with it in due course, along with the e-mails from Al
> and various others that raised interesting points:

We welcome your feedback as an important voice with the working group.

We will make changes to the draft in light advice pending from the PF WG and
after consideration of feedback from the working group.

We will then seek to have the changes to the current HTML5
specification implemented through the process of the working group as
described in the Decision Policy [1]:


"As explained in the Process Document (section 3.3), this group will
seek to make decisions when there is consensus. We expect that
typically, an editor makes an initial proposal, which is refined in
discussion with Working Group members and other reviewers, and
consensus emerges with little formal decision-making. However, if a
decision is necessary for timely progress, but after due consideration
of different opinions, consensus is not achieved, the Chair should put
a question (allowing for remote, asynchronous participation using, for
example, email and/or web-based survey techniques) and record a
decision and any objections, and consider the matter resolved, at
least until new information becomes available.>

[1]http://www.w3.org/2007/03/HTML-WG-charter#decisions


regards
stevef

On 09/05/2008, Ian Hickson <ian@hixie.ch> wrote:
> On Fri, 9 May 2008, Justin James wrote:
> >
> > Here's the rub. It is impossible for the specification to mandate the
> > contents of @alt, only that @alt appear or not appear. I supposed the
> > spec can mandate that the contents of @alt not be null. Outside of that,
> > we can only make recommendations.
>
> That's not entirely true, we can mandate whatever we want. We just can't
> machine-check much beyond presence and non-null-ness. For example, we
> require that authors use <h1> for headers, but we can't check it without
> a human (at the moment -- AI might get there eventually!).
>
>
> > The people who are omitting @alt now will simply add null @alt's, which
> > is effectively the same as no @alt at all.
>
> Since HTML4 already requires that alt be included always (without dealing
> with the cases that have been raised many times on this thread) the people
> who are omitting alt today will probably just continue to do so. :-)
>
>
> I have saved the proposed text to the graphics-img-alt folder, by the way,
> and will be dealing with it in due course, along with the e-mails from Al
> and various others that raised interesting points:
>
>   http://www.whatwg.org/issues/#graphics-img-alt
>
> --
> Ian Hickson               U+1047E                )\._.,--....,'``.    fL
> http://ln.hixie.ch/       U+263A                /,   _.. \   _\  ;`._ ,.
> Things that are impossible just take longer.   `._.-(,_..'--(,_..'`-.;.'
>


-- 
with regards

Steve Faulkner
Technical Director - TPG Europe
Director - Web Accessibility Tools Consortium

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Received on Friday, 9 May 2008 08:06:46 UTC