[uf-discuss] RFC: Using <img>'s alt attribute for Microformats

[Tantek Ç elik]

On 12/15/05 8:16 AM, "Scott Reynen" <scott at randomchaos.com> wrote:

> Maybe I'm misunderstanding you, but it doesn't seem to me that using
> alt for machine data follows the humans first principle

The idea is to use the alt for the human readable text version of what is in
the image, sorry I wasn't clear about that.

> because  
> imageless humans are reading alt tags.

Right.

> As a human, I'd hate to be
> reading something like this in a screen reader:
> 
> <img class="bday" src="today.png" alt="20051215T080000Z" />

Indeed.

> And my first inclination would be to give imageless humans something
> more readable by putting the machine data in the title attribute
> instead, e.g.:
> 
> <img class="bday" src="today.png" alt="December 15, 2005"
> title="20051215T080000Z" />
>
> This is sending three different types of data to three different
> types of readers.

AFAIK this is the first we have discussed using the <img> tag to convey
three pieces of information like that.

> src is for imaged humans, alt is for imageless
> humans, and title is for machines.  I understand the drawback of
> further complication, but the alternative seems to require authors to
> choose between usability and microformats.

Here is my question:

Have you seen any examples on the Web where people are publishing date-time
information as an image?

Thanks,

Tantek