annej - 9:29 pm on Apr 1, 2006 (gmt 0)

When I try to validate using HTML 4.01 Transitional it won't validate without all the alt tags. I do put descriptions in alt tags of graphics where that would help someone who isn't seeing the images but it seems silly to put them on something like a little decorative bar or a picture of a book cover when the book is already described.
Does it really hurt if I skip the alt on graphics like these?

BTW what is utf-8 and where is it supposed to be on the page?