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Re: Alt Tags length and Content

for

From: Jukka K. Korpela
Date: Aug 5, 2003 10:31PM

On Tue, 5 Aug 2003, Jericho wrote:

> I have noticed that some web sites that use graphical text buttons use alt
> text that is very wordy, like "This link will take you to our contacts page
> where you can find our email address and phone number", for a button that
> simply says CONTACT US.

That's bad practice. The wordy text could be appropriate as a TITLE
attribute value, not ALT attribute value.

By the way, if it's really a button, that's poor usability and has some
accessibility impact too. It should be a link, and look like a link.

> Is there some common standard on this?

The definition of the ALT attribute is that it specifies a textual
_replacement_ for an image. Although this definition has been obscured by
calling it a "description" at other places, Guideline 1 in WAI
recommendations is "Provide equivalent alternatives to auditory and visual
content." In the given case, "Contact us" s a textual replacement, i.e.
equivalent alternative, whereas the wordy text is not.

--
Jukka "Yucca" Korpela, http://www.cs.tut.fi/~jkorpela/


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