Liquor&Spice: Image Descriptions and Alt Text
In an ideal world, all image descriptions would happen in the “alt text.” Which is like, when you’re adding an image to your website, you go to the <img> tag and add alt=”image description goes here” Alt text is super great for screen readers because they know that it’s an image, and they read the alt text accordingly. It’s also nice to configure things this way because then there is less text-clutter, which can otherwise be a pain to folks with certain learning disabilites/ADHD.
However, this is very often not an option for tumblr-users. When you’re uploading a photo post, for example, you don’t even get the opportunity to add alt text. But there are things you can do to compensate:
- Put the image descriptions right below the picture. Even if it’s a reblog, you should just add in the description before the blockquotes that have everybody else’s commentary. Because of how tumblr is set up, the description will be credited to you. This helps sighted folks who skip around when they’re reading to know what not to read, and it also allows people using screenreaders to know what the image looks like before they hear everything other people have to say about it.
- Let people know that it’s an image description by following the convention “[image:…].”
- Put a paragraph break between the image description and the commentary. (It shouldn’t function as the first sentence of some longer comment).
- If you can, add the alt text to images you upload. When you upload an image on a non-image post, tumblr gives you a space to add in an image description. That’s where it should go! If you’re worried that a sighted follower might not realize that you have an image description already (and therefore they might re-write one), you can put [image described in alt text] below.
When the alt text is blank, screen readers just read out the url—so it saves your blind readers some time if they get to hear the image description instead. However, this isn’t always possible on tumblr, unless you’re uploading an image on a text/link post. So when the alt text fails, following these conventions maximize the accessibility for blind readers AND readers with disabilities that hinder their processing large amounts of text.
Oh who, meeee???
I want to date a guy from tumblr because of these^
At last I have a use for today’s niche trolling selfie.
(Source: observando)
(Source: harrenhal)
(Source: livinginaplasticjungle)
- tumblr user: apples are delicious
- another tumblr user: wow um who are you to say whether or not apples are delicious?? that's totally subjective you should've said "*I* think apples are delicious" and even then fuck you how do you think that makes oranges and pears feel? there are all types of different fruit and they're all delicious in their own way and don't need to be judged by assholes like you
- another tumblr user: ^^^ This.
- another tumblr user: *glee gif*
If every post on your tumblr is “via” another tumblr,
you don’t have a good tumblr.
via Michael
Then all of tumblr is bad tumblr.
IDK AM I RIGHT?
Well if wordpress or blogger had a reblog functionality that tied into tumblr then maybe you’d see people with via other things.
(Source: talesofmichaelsykes)
No one is actually obligated to engage you in debate
I know I have said it before, but I feel like I need to remind people of this.
Every so often on Tumblr, you’ll see people posting about a discussion without actually reblogging it to stay “in the thread”. Then, inevitably, you’ll see people complaining about that, calling it cowardly, etc. From what I’ve seen, I’m assuming people get upset because they don’t want you to comment on things they’ve posted without being notified, so they can defend themselves. And while that is kind of understandable, it is not exactly a good idea go and attack the person for commenting off-thread.
People do what is best for themselves. There are times when I have to offer my two cents and then close the window and force myself not to look at it or anything pertaining to it (or the person who posted it) for at least a few days because I sometimes have a lot of trouble handling conflict. I do not know how to process disagreements healthily when they start getting hostile, so if an argument is already hostile and I still want to offer my thoughts on it, I will do it on my own, over here, in my little corner of the internet.
When angry, nervous, or anxious, I tend to get physically sick; my stomach will hurt, I’ll feel nauseous, my throat will be dry, I’ll get a headache. By removing myself from the discussion, I can comment on it without entering the fray; I get to express my anger without being steeped in it like I would while waiting for someone to respond to me with more infuriating bullshit. Make sense?
As I said a month or two ago: “Sometimes I just want to say “look at this silly shit” without getting into it with whoever actually wrote it. If that makes me some sort of sneaky coward, then hey, so be it. People need to protect themselves sometimes, and this is one way that they can do it.” That’s all there is to it.
