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A minor amend and a "to do" for consideration: Example 3.2; Example code: Current: <p><img src="sale.gif" alt="The BIG sale ...ends friday."></p> The repeated period is for visual effect and conveys no actual meaning to a screen reader. Suggested: <p><img src="sale.gif" alt="The BIG sale ends friday."></p> Using an empty altattribute alt="" If the image has no contextual meaning use an empty or null alt text. If the image conveys the same contextual meaning as written in the content, then use the shortest description possible, to the point of being curt. Or, if the image is not specifically mentioned in the text, use an empty or null alt text. from mike.foskett@websemantics.co.uk
EDITOR'S RESPONSE: This is an Editor's Response to your comment. If you are satisfied with this response, please change the state of this bug to CLOSED. If you have additional information and would like the editor to reconsider, please reopen this bug. If you would like to escalate the issue to the full HTML Working Group, please add the TrackerRequest keyword to this bug, and suggest title and text for the tracker issue; or you may create a tracker issue yourself, if you are able to do so. For more details, see this document: http://dev.w3.org/html5/decision-policy/decision-policy.html Status: rejected Change Description: none Rationale: the '...' do have meaning, they are an ellipsis (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellipsis) Just because screen readers do not interpret them correctly, does not mean they should not be inlcuded. The current explanations for the use of the empty alt attribute cover the contexts you mention.