[html4all] Fwd: longdesc questions

[Joshue O Connor]

Steven Faulkner wrote:
> Sorry posted this to the wrong list, here it is to the right list :-)
> 
> Is there a need for the longdesc attribute in its current HTML 4.01
>  incarnation?
> Can it (the longdesc) be practically modified to better provide a
> programmatic association between an image and associated content?
> 
> Would the need (if there is one) be better served by a new attribute such as
> describedby? (http://developer.mozilla.org/en/docs/Accessible_DHTML#Supported_properties

I know that Gez is a fan of using this (these) attributes and I can see
that it a great idea to use an attribute that is context dependent,
meaning you can in principle add it to any element. Great for authors as
it is easy to remember and to use. IIRC both the labelledby and
describedby attributes are a part of Live Region [1] properties which is
a part of WAI - ARIA, so in order for this to work this would hinge on
WAI-ARIA being to some degree adopted by HTML 5?

Or is it a case that only some of the Live Region properties would
should be adopted by the spec, Gez?

Josh

Ps Am also learning as I go here, so please forgive my sloppy questions.