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Questions about ``` lines

Brian Evans b__m__e at mailfence.com

Thu May 21 16:01:44 BST 2020

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Katarina writes:

``` @embed image/png

``` width=300 height=200

=

path/to/image.png Alt. text

I had not thought of using that space for something like that. This is unfortunate.However, I am grateful to Katarina for bringing it to our attention. I think thisis important.

I also concur with solderpunk's assessment:

To be honest, I could live without specifying

programming languages to enable syntax highlighting in text/gemini - I

get that that's *nice*, but it's not really essential. But the alt-text

thing kind of feels important to me

I think accessibility is extremely important and that alt text for ascii artis of great benefit.

I have a branch of my client, Bombadillo, built that supports alt text andtoggling off preformatted block lines in favor of their alt text (or nothing,if there is no alt text). It works well for what it is trying to do. If alt textbecame a part of the spec and was widely encouraged by the communitysuch that it became standard practice I think it would be really wonderful.I also see that as a real possible thing that could happen (in a way that HTMLhas struggled with).

Of note, that build of Bombadillo does NOT allow any text on the closing lineof a preformatted block. Or at the very least, it will ignore that text. I don'tknow that that solves anything for the issues described by Katarina but itmight help.

Another suggestion, and I know this is rough, is to add another block type sothat there is one for readable text and one for art.

Somthing like:


~~~   : - p~~~

Having the two types makes it fairly non-extensible. It does NOT solve the alttext problem, which I would still very much like to see. But it does separate outcrawlable content for search engines, allow clients to let their users turn off allascii art,hide art for screen readers while allowing them to ask the user if theywant a preformatted text block read to them, and probably a few other uses.

Every way I try to think of adding alt text ends up being arbitrarily extendableand hidden to users under most circumstances. This is a very big bummer. Icontinue to think that alt text is essential for a free and openly expressiveplatform that is accessible to all. If anyone has any ideas please post! 

I suppose alt text could have its own tag, but it seems like we'd have the sameissues....