Re: LYNX-DEV lynx on www.microsoft.com

[Laura Eaves]

> Date: Sat, 3 May 1997 23:29:52 +0200
> From: Drazen Kacar <address@hidden>
>...
> Yes. I have things like that on a page or two. Graphics only link leads
> to the page(s) with intensive graphics content. Content is probably the wrong
> word, since it's usually some graphic extravaganza without much content
> and very low value to Lynx users.
>
> Pages which have some content (pie chart, for example) have an
> alternate text only page (with ASCII graphics) and link to that page
> looks like this:
>
>    <A HREF="textish.html"><IMG SRC="t.gif" ALT="Here be ASCII graphics"></A>
>
> where t.gif is single pixel transparent gif. That link can be selected from
> graphical browser, but I don't think it's very likely. :)
> Both links are on the same page, but not at the same position.
>
> I don't mind if what you intend to do ends up in the official distribution.
> However, I prefer the current behaviour.

If I'm reading you right, you have an invisible link to the graphics-intensive
page and the "Here be ASCII text" link to the text-only page:
        <a href="harry_graphics.html"><img src="whatever.gif" alt=""></a>
        <A HREF="textish.html"><IMG SRC="t.gif" ALT="Here be ASCII 
graphics"></A>
If the "invisible" link were displayed as [LINK], then the user would at least
have the option of downloading or viewing the graphics page some other way.
(Instead of making it invisible, you could say alt="graphics-intensive page".)

Anyway, as I said, the code that sets the img alt string is quite harry, and
I'm not anxious to touch it...:)
I was just wondering what other people think about invisible links in general,
and this case in particular.  (I consider this case to be different from other
links with no text, since the link is visible in graphics mode but not text
mode.  If you can see it in graphics mode, I'd like to see it in text mode...
But that's just my opinion.)
--le

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