Hmmm... So there is not even one browser that can read these tags?? I'm
checking with IE 5.5.

<abbr> and <acronym>

Then I guess our site is as accessible as its going to get. My goal is
universal design not clumsy, yet accessible.

I use a work around for the longdesc attribute.

When the alt attribute is longer than 150 characters, I add the longdesc
attribute to the image and create a proximal invisible link (e.g.-  1x1
pixel image) that links to the long description html document.

Sample code:

<img src=_images/picture.gif alt="photograph of painting on the wall in my
house"  longdesc="photo.html"><a href="photo.html" title="description of
painting"><img src=_images/dot.gif alt="link to description of
painting"></a>

photo.html reads:
The image is a photo of "Water Lilies" by Monet, Delicate, floating flowers
below a stone bridge, across a pond with lush grass and trees on the banks,
produced in an oil -based paint on canvas in a gilded frame.


Rosemary