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2023-09-21 06:55:33

mitexleo@buddyverse.xyz

We should introduce "Community ALT text" on Mastodon (and other fediverse softwares which has similar ALT text implementation), much like the Community notes feature on Twitter. This would be really helpful for situations where it's challenging to provide a proper description for an image.

#alt #alttext #image #fediverse #mastodon #idea #mastodev #pixelfed #misskey

2023-09-21 10:50:25

Jupiter Rowland

jupiter_rowland@hub.netzgemeinde.eu

@MitexLeo This couldn't be introduced to the whole #Fediverse as in all projects without an exception.

#Friendica, #Hubzilla and #Streams have a vastly different implementation of #AltText than #Mastodon, #Pleroma, #Akkoma, #Misskey, #Firefish & Co.

That's also because they have a vastly different way of adding images to posts. Not as up to four file attachments, but uploaded to a file space and then linked and embedded within the text like in a blog post or on a website. As many as you want.

So the alt-text is not a file property with a separate text field and its own character count like on Mastodon. Instead, it's part of the image embedding markup code, and it sits within the post text itself.

There's no way you could ever be able to edit that from Mastodon. The only way to do this would be by editing the post itself.

First of all, Mastodon doesn't show Friendica/Hubzilla/(streams) posts nearly in their vanilla states. It completely and utterly mangles them. This includes ripping the images out of the post and converting the last up to four into file attachments because Mastodon doesn't understand embedded images. Community alt-text would only edit what Mastodon has made from the post, not the original.

Second, even if you could edit Friendica/Hubzilla/(streams) original posts from Mastodon, just to have Mastodon re-import and re-convert them afterwards, most Mastodon users would stare at the exposed BBcode that makes up these posts like a deer staring at headlights. Again, it's this BBcode where alt-text is added. Friendica, Hubzilla and (streams) do not have dedicated alt-text fields.

And finally, the same tool that'd make adding alt-text to such posts possible would also allow you to edit the rest of the posts or out-right delete them.

2023-09-21 11:42:12

Mitex Leo :verified:

mitexleo@buddyverse.xyz

@jupiter_rowland Thanks for the valuable info ❤ .. I'm gonna update my post ?

2023-09-22 02:27:51

@reiver ⊼ (Charles) :batman:

reiver@mastodon.social

@mitexleo

Interesting idea.

You would probably need a way of dealing with abuse. But I can see it being useful.