Title/alt text for icons

[denise]

We have discussed, multiple times, how to utilize the varying combinations of keywords, descriptions, and comments on icons. Bug 2773 is one of the places where that discussion has been happening, and there has been previous discussion here in dw_accessibility: Title attribute and userpics. (There was, unfortunately, no consensus, indicating that -- as always -- one person's accessibility is another person's accessibility nightmare.)

Currently, the description is used as the icon's alt text (viewable/read by screenreaders, text-based browsers, and most browsers with images turned off), the keywords are used as the title text (viewable in a popup when moused over in most graphical browsers; unavailable to screenreaders and most mobile devices), and the comments/credits are only shown on the icons page.

Some of the issues that have been brought up/discussed:

1). Information should never be available to graphical browsers and sighted users that isn't available to screenreaders, text-based browsers, and non-sighted users. Right now, keywords are only available inline to people who can mouseover the icon image and read the resulting tooltip.

2). Web standards say that alt and title text should not be the same. (We're more than willing to ignore standards when standards are wrong, but it's still a consideration.)

3). Making alt text be username + icon keywords + description + comments (aka, combining the existing alt text and the existing title text) would result in hellaciously long alt text that would have to be read out every time.

4). Various people already using any of the four pieces that go into the alt text and the title text right now -- username, keywords, description, and comments -- have come to rely on having that information available, and would prefer it not be removed.

5). Hover text (which most browsers use the title attribute for) can only be reached by mousing over the image (which already excludes a large group of people).

6). Most browsers only keep hover text visible for a short length of time, meaning that long title text would not be readable in the time it stays visible.

With all of that said, please take the poll below indicating which option you'd prefer. There are two polls. One is for people who interact with the site visually/graphically; one is for people who interact with the site purely text-based/screenreader-based. Please only answer the poll that is applicable to you.

The polls are anonymized; everyone will see the answers and who voted for what, but nobody will see a name attached to them. If you have a problem answering the poll, please comment to this entry; anonymous commenting is enabled in this community if you aren't comfortable commenting while logged-in.

(The results of this poll will not necessarily determine what we do, but it will be part of the information we use while we decide.)

Poll #8008

This poll is anonymous.
Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 59

I interact with the site visually and would be okay with any of these options:

View Answers

The way things are now: alt text = "description", title text = "(username), keywords"
49 (86.0%)

Alt text and title text to be the same: "keywords: description"
38 (66.7%)

Alt text and title text to be the same: "(username): keywords, description"
35 (61.4%)

Alt text and title text to be the same: "(username): keywords, description, comments"
19 (33.3%)

Alt text and title text to be the same: "(username): description, comments"
16 (28.1%)

Alt text and title text to be the same: "(username): description"
29 (50.9%)

Something else, which I will explain in comments
3 (5.3%)

I interact with the site visually and my single preferred option is:

View Answers

The way things are now: alt text = "description", title text = "(username), keywords"
17 (34.0%)

Alt text and title text to be the same: "keywords: description"
10 (20.0%)

Alt text and title text to be the same: "(username): keywords, description"
7 (14.0%)

Alt text and title text to be the same: "(username): keywords, description, comments"
5 (10.0%)

Alt text and title text to be the same: "(username): description, comments"
0 (0.0%)

Alt text and title text to be the same: "(username): description"
8 (16.0%)

Something else, which I will explain in comments
3 (6.0%)

Poll #8009

This poll is anonymous.
Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 2

I interact with the site with screenreader or text-based browser and would be okay with any of these options:

View Answers

The way things are now: alt text = "description", title text = "(username), keywords"
2 (100.0%)

Alt text and title text to be the same: "keywords: description"
0 (0.0%)

Alt text and title text to be the same: "(username): keywords, description"
1 (50.0%)

Alt text and title text to be the same: "(username): keywords, description, comments"
0 (0.0%)

Alt text and title text to be the same: "(username): description, comments"
1 (50.0%)

Alt text and title text to be the same: "(username): description"
2 (100.0%)

Something else, which I will explain in comments
0 (0.0%)

I interact with the site with screenreader or text-based browser and my single preferred option is:

View Answers

The way things are now: alt text = "description", title text = "(username), keywords"
0 (0.0%)

Alt text and title text to be the same: "keywords: description"
0 (0.0%)

Alt text and title text to be the same: "(username): keywords, description"
1 (50.0%)

Alt text and title text to be the same: "(username): keywords, description, comments"
0 (0.0%)

Alt text and title text to be the same: "(username): description, comments"
0 (0.0%)

Alt text and title text to be the same: "(username): description"
1 (50.0%)

Something else, which I will explain in comments
0 (0.0%)