• From: Nashville, TN
  • Registered: 2006-01-12

Topic: swfIR: swf Image Replacement and Accessibility

Has anyone seen/used the new way of handling images with swfIR: swf Image Replacement? This look like a really neat and easy to use way of transforming images in more complex ways than possible with standard HTML.

According to Jeffrey Zeldman it supports standards-based design concepts. Is that completely correct when it comes to accessibility? What is the effect on page load times? Does it degrade properly for mobile web users and users without flash?

I'm just curious about this new tool because it seems like a neat way of manipulating images. Please share your thoughts

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Mithrill's Website

  • From: Kingston, Jamaica
  • Registered: 2005-10-29

Re: swfIR: swf Image Replacement and Accessibility

I've seen it and played with the demo on the site but haven't used it for anything yet. Looks pretty cool though.

Exercise your faith!

Yannick Lyn Fatt's Website

  • C.Barr
  • Interface Developer/Designer
  • Offline
  • From: Pensacola, FL
  • Registered: 2006-12-05

Re: swfIR: swf Image Replacement and Accessibility

well since it's all flash based, i assume anyone without flash will not be able to see these at all, accessibility and mobile users are most likely out of the picture here.

Still, a very cool concept though.

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C.Barr's Website

  • Registered: 2005-11-02

Re: swfIR: swf Image Replacement and Accessibility

My understanding is that it's similar sIFR, progressive enhancement.

People without the Flash player will just see the img, styled with CSS.

"I was blind, but now I see!"  John 9:25

Montgomery's Website

  • From: Nashville, TN
  • Registered: 2006-01-12

Re: swfIR: swf Image Replacement and Accessibility

Thanks for sharing your feedback. My understanding is the same as Montgomery's....

Montgomery wrote:

People without the Flash player will just see the img, styled with CSS.

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Mithrill's Website

  • From: Detroit, MI
  • Registered: 2006-02-03

Re: swfIR: swf Image Replacement and Accessibility

Hold the phone... sIFR is really just an H_ tag. I fired up JAWS (a screen reader) and pulled up one of my own pages that uses sIFR. Heres what happened:

"Welcome to the wedding of heading level one Tarzan and Jane."

"Tarzan and Jane" was being rendered with Flash. So it does work... not perfectly. But ultimately no matter what it is in the HTML, so it will be read.

"Bear 270, young man. Bear two, seven, zero, over." - Musings of a flight simulator guru, me.

Leovenous's Website

  • Registered: 2005-11-02

Re: swfIR: swf Image Replacement and Accessibility

Hmm....

Yes, I understand screen readers will read out heading level elements.
But that's true anyway.

And "sIFR is intended for headlines." http://wiki.novemberborn.net/sifr/How+to+use
But, "it is possible to use sIFR to replace other elements, such as paragraphs or list items,"
Though "this is not recommended."

See the (excellent) documentation for more details: http://wiki.novemberborn.net/sifr/
Also an article on How and When to Use sIFR

"I was blind, but now I see!"  John 9:25

Montgomery's Website