TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Re[8]: Project X From:Arlen -dot- P -dot- Walker -at- JCI -dot- COM Date:Wed, 4 Sep 1996 12:34:00 -0600
No it isn't. You can construct a clickable map by using several
different small graphics, each with its own ALT text. The visual
effect
is the same, the ALT tags work properly, browsers can use the cached
pages, and the only feature that is missing is the ability to use
non-rectangular hotspots.
I'll try your suggested spot with a couple of the browsers I've got laying
around here. Wonder how they'll look. Wonder if that explains the bizarre
layout I've encountered on some pages. Or are we designing just for
Netscape and MIE these days?
How many customers are really so bothered whether the hotspots are
rectangular or not? Wouldn't they prefer to be able to see the URL of
the link the cursor is over, rather than some meaningless number?
Don't know to the first question, probably not for the second.
You seem to be advocating complexity with no benefit. Have I missed
something that imagemaps offer and multiple side-by-side image links
with ALT tags don't offer?
Support for clients that won't display side-by-side images as cleanly as
you might like (or even at all)?
We've got an internal page with an imagemap of a pyramid on it (represents
the structure of a collection of docs, what they are isn't as important as
*that* they are). Layering consecutive images didn't look so hot (it was
what I tried first, because I hadn't used an imagemap before and wanted to
avoid it) so I went with an imagemap instead (and yes, there are text links
there as well).
Have fun,
Arlen
Chief Managing Director In Charge, Department of Redundancy Department
DNRC 224
Arlen -dot- P -dot- Walker -at- JCI -dot- Com
----------------------------------------------
In God we trust; all others must provide data.
----------------------------------------------
Opinions expressed are mine and mine alone.
If JCI had an opinion on this, they'd hire someone else to deliver it.
TECHWR-L List Information
To send a message about technical communication to 2500+ list readers,
E-mail to TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU -dot- Send administrative commands
ALL other questions or problems concerning the list
should go to the listowner, Eric Ray, at ejray -at- ionet -dot- net -dot-