Why YSK: If you want to make Lemmy a more accessible place for all, you need to know how to add labels (aka: “alt text”) to embedded images
As many of you are already aware, you can embed images in comments using the following markdown: .
That works, but the image will be left unlabeled which leaves screenreader users out of the conversation. This may seem like a theoretical problem, but it’s not – Lemmy already has an active blind community: https://rblind.com/
So, here’s what you can do to add labels when embedding images:
That’s it! Any text within the [] becomes “alt text”, which is what screenreaders use for describing images. It’s a small thing, but it makes a world of difference.
Remember: Reddit took something from many of us here. For some, it was a mobile app. For others, it was the ability to operate their own communities. Comment with solidarity; use alt-text.
Small spoiler about Wit, but an interesting bit of trivia for people who’ve read some Brandon Sanderson books
Putting a bit of space, since the spoiler tag works on the web, but not on Jerboa (which is otherwise a decent Lemmy app)
spoiler
Brandon Sanderson would play a mental game when reading books, imagining a side character linked unrelated books.
Wit is that character in his books, he features in (almost?) all his books, always a side character, and helps tie the whole cosmere books together in one universe.
In the (excellent) Graphic Audio books, he’s always voiced by the same voice actor, which gives the secret away.
And not a spoiler about Stormlight Archive, but I highly recommend the first trilogy of the Graphic Audio Mistborn audiobook. They are outstanding works (also Brandon Sanderson).