fix(core): remove title attributes, add alt attributes

[koeaw]

Remove (as per the HTML spec) discouraged title attributes from links in footer template and instead use their values for missing (also per the HTML spec) alt attributes on images they enclose.

Solves one of the issues described in #1343.

[b1rger]

Oke, so without the title attribute there is now no information about what the icons represent, this was very informative. What do you suggest we use instead?

[koeaw]

Oke, so without the title attribute there is now no information about what the icons represent, this was very informative. What do you suggest we use instead?

I'm not sure I understand. The idea of icons (symbols/pictograms) is to convey meaning. The textual description exists for those who can't access the visual; I moved those to the images' alt attributes, unchanged, which is where they serve that purpose much better.

If the symbols aren't clear enough, which is why I flagged the Git logo, we shouldn't use them. One solution is to find better (more obvious, less ambiguous) symbols, another is to use link text.

[b1rger]

One solution is to find better (more obvious, less ambiguous) symbols, another is to use link text.

and a third is to show descriptive information when hovering those symbols or text. and the benefit of this approach is, that it can be combined with any of the other two!

[gythaogg]

alt won't show a tooltip on hover, right? I believe it is meant to be an alternative when the image doesn't load at all or for screen readers to know what the image is. So @b1rger do you suggest we keep the title; and @koeaw is it okay for title to remain alongside alt?

[koeaw]

alt won't show a tooltip on hover, right? I believe it is meant to be an alternative when the image doesn't load at all or for screen readers to know what the image is. So @b1rger do you suggest we keep the title; and @koeaw is it okay for title to remain alongside alt?

The HTML spec itself says that use of title is discouraged. Please see the links I provided here, including coverage of the topic by A11y experts (going back years).

Using both attributes in parallel has its own problems, not sure if those are discussed in the articles I linked or in resources they, in turn, point to.

So no, I don't think that keeping titles for tooltips for visuals which ought to be self-explanatory outweighs the negatives.

[gythaogg]

alt is great for accessibility but the tooltip provided by title is a feature too, and one that at least I have often found useful. You are right in that visuals ought to be self explanatory but my brain doesn't always work fast enough on small icons and I hover over them to know quickly what they are about. I don't know why we must undo this feature to provide alt.

Using both attributes in parallel has its own problems, not sure if those are discussed in the articles I linked or in resources they, in turn, point to.

I was suggesting that they both have the same content, which is tolerated by the A11Y guys as title doesn't hide any extra information. See quote below from the page you linked

 If you must use title on images, keep it the same as the alt.

[b1rger]

So @b1rger do you suggest we keep the title;

I suggest to have some information displayed when hovering over the icons. It doesn't have to be implemented using the title attribute, that why I asked for alternatives in my first comment.

The HTML spec itself says that use of title is discouraged.

The link you posted says: "Relying on the title attribute is currently discouraged" (emphasis added by me). We are not relying on the use of the title attribute. The "use of title" is a paraphrasing of you to underline your point. From an A11y perspective it is recommended not to rely on color to communicate the meaning of elements. Does this mean we should remove all the colors from our interface?

So no, I don't think that keeping titles for tooltips for visuals which ought to be self-explanatory outweighs the negatives.

Given that you have not listed any negatives but only mentioned that there are some, we can not comment on this.

Just for reference, a couple of examples from other user interfaces:

Gitlab:

Nextcloud:

Github:

Sharepoint:

[koeaw]

@gythaogg Please let me know which changes you want me to make via the review tool. I can't/mustn't engage in lengthy discussions in issues and PRs for the time being. Thx.

[gythaogg]

title attribute here serves a purpose (tooltip) and hence it should remain. Please leave title with the same value as alt (as suggested by the a11yproject).

If you must use title on images, keep it the same as the alt.
...
In cases where a title attribute is provided, it should have the same value as the alt.

[koeaw]

title attribute here serves a purpose (tooltip) and hence it should remain. Please leave title with the same value as alt (as suggested by the a11yproject).

Commit updated to only add alt attributes to <img> elements, reusing text used in title attributes.

Commit message updated to reflect change, additionally replaced mentions of "icons" with "images" for more accuracy re: affected elements. CC type in subject changed to feat.