Gregory's ServerMastodon has introduced me to the joy of reading descriptive #alttext. I take in the image then read the text as icing on the cake. It can really add extra personality to images.
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 @coffee4danz it reveals the bits that the poster thought was important; I especially enjoy when that's very different to what I thought was important, it's like seeing the image from a different angle. It's delicious, like seeing in another dimension, through someone else's eyes. It enrichens :)  @thefathippy that magic is inspiring. I’m working on moving from merely describing the image to describing what I’m trying to convey with it. Unfortunately, my brain isn’t often up to the task.  @coffee4danz @alttexthalloffame I’ve learned so much about countries I’ll never be able to visit just by reading descriptions of things everyone in their own culture takes for granted but that are completely unknown to me. Plants, animal species, clothing, household items, food, road signs, you name it. Also terms of fields I’m not an expert in: the body parts of ants or globular springtails, for example. Alt-text is brilliant. I’m a huge fan.  @coffee4danz And depending on your instance, you may find there's thousands more characters available than in the toot itself. Fun times. @quokka1 14 years ago, when I joined Twitter, I enjoyed the challenge of writing within a constrained number of characters. Give me more characters and I get really long-winded.  And the more descriptive it is, the better it is for blind or partially sighted folk. Alt Text rocks! @grb090423 I’m enjoying the challenge of writing alt text. No more “photo of a cat” alts for me. Striving to be better.  @coffee4danz I'm blind and for me alt text is the Big Special Thing about Mastodon. If someone posts a meme, I'm in on the joke. Someone shares beautifiul moss, or their cat, I'm in on the beauty or fun or whatever. I'm now 62, and this is the first time I entered a community and a culture where people grant me this kind of access and community. So grateful for people who do alt text. @anantagd Facebook seems to be almost entirely shared images and memes and if they really wanted to expand their user base, they’d make #alttext a feature and encourage it heavily. When I joined Mastodon and saw people using and encouraging alt text use I quickly realized its importance. My Toot! app is set to stop me from posting without it now.  @coffee4danz @anantagd I'm beyond encouraging, i demand alttexts. From followed people, from mutuals, from everyone. If someone persistently refuses to make them, i mute or block. @Dingsextrem @anantagd speaking of human rights, I was once in the British Museum and saw a man running his hands over a marble pedimental sculpture while his companion described it. My first reaction was shock because touching things in a museum is generally not allowed. Then I realized what was happening and I was glad. That museum is for everyone regardless of ability, and it’s all just stolen loot from other civilizations anyway. @anantagd @coffee4danz I’m so glad this working for you! This is the first community I’ve been in that encourages alt text. @anantagd @coffee4danz Saw this yesterday, may be of interest. I did this irl for partner who lost her sight in 2003. She would point & I’d read or describe the scene. It’s lovely of you to say so, but don’t be too grateful: you have a right to *expect* things like Alt text; it’s fairly basic humaning to provide it. I’m still learning how to do it better - like all functions, there’s a skill in it. @Badgardener @anantagd Quite. As I say, it's a skill to be learned. I think posting frequency and general level of engagement come into it: the ones who have a past of Instagram and twitter and who collect followers but don't follow, post incessantly and don't engage with responses, are probably the box-tickers. A lot of their Humaning is very basic indeed.  @coffee4danz Being relatively new to Mastodon, before seeing your post I didn’t even know alttext was a thing. Turns out Mona (my client of choice) has some excellent features around alttext and even getting text in images. I learn something new and interesting everyday :) @phobox360 it’s an extra step that’s really worth the effort. It’s a pause to reflect upon what you’re posting and a courtesy to those who would otherwise not see it. @Malfunct I like that my Toot! app has a setting to remind me when I’ve forgotten to add alt-text.     I enjoy crafting alt-text for all to enjoy; in fact some of my best work is in there.  @coffee4danz I worked with many blind patients in my career and know the value of ALT text. I spend a lot of time describing my photos. Glad to hear it's working so well for you. |
Plus, it’s teaching me to write better alt-text.