Alt Text Health CheckResults from tracking 26,529 images across 1,508 instances from the mastodon.social federated timeline.
Then filtering down to the top 1000 instances by active user from instances.social who had posted at least 35 images (2x the average).
Superdave!@AltTextHealthCheck @nix Some of these alt text numbers look great, but it says nothing about the utility or quality of said text. I've read some excellent descriptions that add lots of value, and descriptions that add nothing.
nix@wx1g @AltTextHealthCheck Very good point. I know @alttexthalloffame puts a lot of effort into education on good descriptors, but as someone who doesn't rely primarily on alt text I can't speak to sthe overall utility personally.
Alt Text Hall of Fame@nix @wx1g @AltTextHealthCheck Someone actually did write a mini-study on this topic, but I can't seem to find the thread anymore, sorry!
Definitely would be great to see a breakdown of good/sufficient/poor/none alt text. I've seen many examples for each category, but yeah, sadly no data.
Jupiter Rowland@Superdave! Well, the quality and usefulness of image descriptions in general and alt-text in particular can not only vary greatly, depending on the circumstances, but it's also very subjective.
One user could say that an alt-text of 200 characters is sufficient, or even that a longer alt-text is too long. Another user could say about the same image that they need a full, detailed description of all visual elements plus explanations of everything they aren't familiar with because the content of the image is apparently very interesting, but too obscure.
I myself prefer to err on the side of "too much", sometimes taking several days to describe one measly image. Not everyone likes the outcome, but some applaud it.
#Long #LongPost #CWLong #CWLongPost #AltText #AltTextMeta #CWAltTextMeta #ImageDescription #ImageDescriptions #ImageDescriptionMeta #CWImageDescriptionMeta
One user could say that an alt-text of 200 characters is sufficient, or even that a longer alt-text is too long. Another user could say about the same image that they need a full, detailed description of all visual elements plus explanations of everything they aren't familiar with because the content of the image is apparently very interesting, but too obscure.
I myself prefer to err on the side of "too much", sometimes taking several days to describe one measly image. Not everyone likes the outcome, but some applaud it.
#Long #LongPost #CWLong #CWLongPost #AltText #AltTextMeta #CWAltTextMeta #ImageDescription #ImageDescriptions #ImageDescriptionMeta #CWImageDescriptionMeta
@jupiter_rowland For me, it depends on the purpose of the image. A form control, in a web page or app ui, need not be long. One or two words will usually suffice. I want lots of detail in descriptions of art works, landscapes, gardens, and mathematical figures, for instance. Sometimes, a detailed description says something about the describer and the described.
@Superdave! Then I hope I've done it halfway right here and here. But I'm not sure if this is sufficient then, seeing as I've only used slightly under 1,750 characters to describe the portrait painting in the second image out of 20,000+ characters for both images combined.
#ImageDescription #ImageDescriptions #ImageDescriptionMeta #CWImageDescriptionMeta
#ImageDescription #ImageDescriptions #ImageDescriptionMeta #CWImageDescriptionMeta
Your favourite booster@AltTextHealthCheck
Somebody should collect all Alts and turn them into a nice book...
Somebody should collect all Alts and turn them into a nice book...