Post #2965181
2026-05-16 12:43 UTC
@ChristineMalec@mstdn.ca Hi, excuse me, I used to try to add fun, descriptive, concise alt text (even for videos!) but I’ve been told it was a chore to read alt text longer than 80 characters, which frankly is frustrating as a sighted Mastodon user.
Would you rather read alt text up to 80 char, or are you fine with longer text, and why? I haven’t tried out Orca yet, but does it depend on the hardware (e.g. is it more comfortable with Braille reading bars)?
Replies (2)
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@twynn@mas.to 2026-05-16 21:16
@oceane@gotosocial.social @ChristineMalec@mstdn.ca I don't work in the accessibility field and don't know where you got the 80-character limit datapoint from, but I don't think that's the case for anyone. While braille displays may average 20, 40, or 80 cells in size, each one has the ability to pan, i.e., read the next X characters in the line as needed.
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@ChristineMalec@mstdn.ca 2026-05-17 06:40
@oceane@gotosocial.social I don't agree with setting an upper limit to alt text. If I've learned enough I can just scroll on. If your brain or heart moves you to write more, I personally believe you should.