le_gber - 10:50 am on Sep 9, 2006 (gmt 0)

I use Dreamweaver and have never seen it insert an [alt=""] by default when inserting an image.

old_expat which version of dreamweaver do you use?

I agree that with old version of DW it did't flag missing alt attributes, but in DW2004 you can select 'empty' from a drop down when you click on an image (in DW properties toolbar - bottom of the screen), and I know that in DW8, when you add an image, a table, a form or any element - an accessibility popup appears and you need to fill it (or ignore it) before it ads the element you want added.

Macromedia has made huge effort to improve the accessibility of the sites that come out of DW. But many webdesigner still ignore the accessibility issue - some because they don't know exactly what each of the accessibility element does and don't know how it helps the screen readers (or as it's been mentionned the SE spiders), other because they can't be bothered.

Anyway - it only takes minutes to validate your entire site using free automated tools and if you have a site with thousands of pages I assume that you use some for of templating system so it may be good to test the template before launching the site.

I am not for automated testing but it's a good way to cover the basics like missing alt attributes.

I agree that if this judgment get enforced a lot of 'web designer' might disapear and have to catch up on the accessibility front. But I think that it will be a good thing as it will 'sanitise' the web design industry.

Some large companies might end up being targeted by people who may want to make a quick buck, but if they can take a hint, this story surely is 'big' enough a hint to start checking their site.