[thelist] CSS
Ron Thigpen
rthigpen at nc.rr.com
Mon Nov 12 14:49:18 CST 2001
Looking at the W3 HTML 4.01 spec, I don't really see any side-by-side
discussion of the intendended differences for these two attributes.
That being the case, the browser coders would have to infer the
intentions of the spec writers as to how the user-agent should present
these two information items.
The only specific use indicated for the alt element is for the case in
which the user-agent cannot display the image.
<quote>
alt = text [CS]
For user agents that cannot display images, forms, or applets, this
attribute specifies alternate text. The language of the alternate text
is specified by the lang attribute.
</quote>
A variety of non-specific, optional uses are indicated for the title
element. For example, in visual user-agents, as a tooltip.
<quote>
title = text [CS]
This attribute offers advisory information about the element for which
it is set.
Unlike the TITLE element, which provides information about an entire
document and may only appear once, the title attribute may annotate any
number of elements. Please consult an element's definition to verify
that it supports this attribute.
Values of the title attribute may be rendered by user agents in a
variety of ways. For instance, visual browsers frequently display the
title as a "tool tip" (a short message that appears when the pointing
device pauses over an object). Audio user agents may speak the title
information in a similar context. For example, setting the attribute on
a link allows user agents (visual and non-visual) to tell users about
the nature of the linked resource:
</quote>
Given this language, it's reasonable that the browser coders would
choose not extend the use of the alt text by presenting it in tooltips.
--rt
.jeff wrote:
> using nn6.1, i just noticed i wasn't getting any tooltips for alt text, just
> title text. anybody else notice that?
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