matgb: Artwork of 19th century upper class anarchist, text: MatGB (Default)
Mat Bowles ([personal profile] matgb) wrote in [site community profile] dw_suggestions2010-06-15 08:11 pm

Allow/encourage title attributes to links list entries

Title:
Allow/encourage title attributes to links list entries

Area:
styles

Summary:
Create text area within the Links list for link TITLE text, that would then display as per browser standards.

Description:
Currently, the only option we have for a Links List entry is URL and link text. It's good practise to give links Title text as well, that normally, depending on browser settings, then displays as a tool tip.

Other platforms, such as Wordpress, allow and encourage links to be given Title attributes, following usability guides and allowing users to give expanded explanations of what a link is, and why it's there in the sidebar.

Example: in my links list, I link to Miss_s_b using her name. For sidebar space reasons, that's all I can give. I'd like to allow users to know if they hober over a link that she's my fiancée and give a brief description of her content. That's good practise, recommended by usability experts. It can also aid search engines and is recommended white hat SEO behaviour.

Poll #3478 Allow/encourage title attributes to links list entries
Open to: Registered Users, detailed results viewable to: All, participants: 34


This suggestion:

View Answers

Should be implemented as-is.
17 (50.0%)

Should be implemented with changes. (please comment)
0 (0.0%)

Shouldn't be implemented.
7 (20.6%)

(I have no opinion)
10 (29.4%)

(Other: please comment)
0 (0.0%)

liv: Stylised sheep with blue, purple, pink horizontal stripes, and teacup brand, dreams of Dreamwidth (sheeeep)

[personal profile] liv 2010-06-16 09:58 am (UTC)(link)
Not if it's going to be an accessibility problem, no. Implementing some useful features that other blogging systems have is fine by me, but superficially imitating the aesthetic of Wordpress isn't going to make Dreamwidth journals more like "serious" blogs. A journal can be a blog, if you want it to be, but that depends a lot more on the content than on trying to look like other systems. Dreamwidth should play to its strengths, and one of those is really good, built-in accessibility. (If it weren't for the comments, I would have thought that your proposal was ok.)