Re: Questionable implementation of IMG ALT attribute as tooltips

On Mon, 26 Jan 1998 17:08:23 +0000 Colin F Reynolds 
<colin@the-net-effect.com> wrote:

> In article <SIMEON.9801261055.B@s1682.essex.ac.uk>, James Green
> <jmkgre@essex.ac.uk> writes
> >> For small icons or symbols, I use characters to imitate the appearance  
> >> of the image, e.g. <img src="mylogo.gif" alt="MyLoGo"> or
> >> <img src="bullet.gif" alt="*">.
> >
> >My thoughts precisely.
> 
> So we agree, James? When, in this example, the ALT attribute value of
> "*" is IMPLEMENTED AS A TOOLTIP (see topic) this impairs the
> functionality of the user interface, since the tooltip does not provide
> the reader with any useful information, and, worse, creates an
> unnecessary distraction.

You're not going to let this go, are you?

[Sigh]

I agree that "*" isn't very useful as a tooltip, but better have that 
tooltip available for when an img with useful information in the ALT 
tag comes along. All users have to do to prevent useless information 
popping up over the image is to have the mouse pointer over the 
bottom-most area, as I'm sure many people will have come to realise.

Regards,

James Green

Term e-mail: jmkgre@essex.ac.uk   |   Home e-mail: jg@cyberstorm.demon.co.uk
Homepage: http://www.cyberstorm.demon.co.uk

Received on Monday, 26 January 1998 13:02:36 UTC