[WEB4LIB] Re: Creating an empty table cell

[Steve Cramer]

Cuz a screen reader would report each 1-pixel gif as "IMAGE", leaving the 
patron to ponder, "Image of what?".

--Steve

On Fri, 15 Mar 2002 06:58:48 -0800 (PST) Eric Holt <eholt at cals.lib.ar.us> wrote:

> 
> This is something that I've never understood.  Why is alt=" " more 
> accessible than no alt tag at all?  Why convey information that there is no 
> information to convey?  Also, why are invisible images an issue for ADA 
> compliance when *sighted* people can't even see them?  I've seen the 
> recommendation for the empty alt tags in a lot of places but I've never 
> seen any explaination as to why they are needed.  Alt tags for images that 
> convey information are obviously necessary, but why extend this to images 
> that have no meaning?  Am I missing something?
> 
> Eric Holt
> Manager, Computer and Network Services
> Central Arkansas Library System
> 
> At 06:39 AM 3/15/2002 -0800, you wrote:
> >The only thing about using a transparent gif is that unless you give it an
> >"alt" tag, you're not ADA compatible.  Now, the work around for this is to
> >give it an "alt" tag of a space:  alt=" " is completely acceptable for ADA
> >compliance.
> >
> >Tracey - who's glad it's Friday
> >
> >
> >-----Original Message-----
> >From: Keith Higgs [mailto:dkh2 at po.cwru.edu]
> >Sent: Friday, March 15, 2002 9:34 AM
> >To: Multiple recipients of list
> >Subject: [WEB4LIB] Re: Creating an empty table cell
> >
> >
> >Occasionally I will use a single pixel transparent gif.  That's a 1*1
> >bitonal gif in which that one pixel is the transparent color.
> >
> >At 11:55 AM 3/14/2002, Robert Sullivan wrote:
> > >I've always used &nbsp; when I wanted to make sure my tables displayed
> > >properly.  I have recently seen a comment that it's better to use a break
> >tag
> > >to fill in an empty cell.  I have used <br> in tables to make them more
> > >intelligible to text browsers, but not for this purpose.
> > >
> > >Any opinions?
> > >
> > >Bob Sullivan                               scp_sulli at sals.edu
> > >Schenectady County Public Library (NY)     http://www.scpl.org
> >
> >D. Keith Higgs. Email: dkh2 at po.cwru.edu, dkhiggs at yahoo.com
> >Case Western Reserve University, Webmaster - University Library
> >More Info: http://www.cwru.edu/UL/pershomepages/K_Higgs.html
> >"'C' is for Cookie, that's good enough for me."
> 
> 
> 

__________________________________________
Steve Cramer
Business Librarian
University of North Carolina at Greensboro
smcramer at uncg.edu
336-256-0346