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Re: A larger discussion (was RE: Inline Images and ALTtext)

for

From: John Foliot
Date: Jan 16, 2009 11:30AM

Randall Pope wrote:
>
> > If the image does not really require alt
> > text, it should be in your CSS, and not inline.
>
> Hear hear! I seconded this approach. To be honest, I'm at lost why many
> webmasters do not place the images, that don't required alt text, in
> the
> CSS. Could someone explain why this approach is not being use often?

LOL... well, this is purely opinion, but I suspect the answer is
"ignorance" (and I don't mean this maliciously).

Until recently (4-6 years?), good CSS support was hard to rely on. Legacy
content, legacy development skills (they learned Dreamweaver in 2001, and
have been using it ever since in exactly the same fashion), WYSIWYG
editors (drag the image to the place on the page you want it), and more...

The sad reality is that most web authors simply are unaware of evolving
best practices, and when you spend less than 10 hours a week updating your
website, there is just no reason to do things differently than what you
originally learned. Hopefully over time this will improve, and it takes
people like those subscribed to this list to further teach your peers,
friends, and work associates how to improve their skills to not only
benefit the disabled community, but themselves as well.

> I
> have been asked by screen readers numerous times to check a website's
> image
> only to find it was being use for decorated purpose.

Yet one more reason to not use alt=""...

JF