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I found out that in process of posts improvement by this user, the phrase "enter image description here" used as a default image description placeholder is often (always?) being capitalized to "Enter image description here":

Screenshot a diff between 2 versions of an edit.Both sides show the markdown for images. On the left it says enter image description here. On the right, it says Enter image description here

To reduce the diff in such type of improvements I suggest to update (capitalize) the source autogenerated sentence.

I know it's minor, but still can reduce the noise.

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    Wouldn't it be easier to simply not edit the placeholder text?
    – samcarter_is_at_topanswers.xyz
    Feb 10 at 13:26
  • 11
    I'd reject that and tell the user off, personally.
    – Journeyman Geek Mod
    Feb 10 at 13:29
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    (the editing of the placeholder text makes comparisons like meta.stackexchange.com/a/386179/237989 unnecessarily complicate)
    – samcarter_is_at_topanswers.xyz
    Feb 10 at 13:33
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    Such edits are completely stupid. The default text should be replaced with something that meaningfully describes the image rather than fiddling with its capitalization.
    – Emil Jeřábek
    Feb 10 at 14:09
  • Commenters here make it seem like this was done by hand and thus condemn the effort spent. It's not - it's automated. There was very close to zero effort spend on the capitalisation.
    – VLAZ
    Feb 10 at 14:15
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    @VLAZ I don't think it matters if the edit was done manually or automatic: in both cases it adds unnecessary noise to the diff and might make things more complicate in case someone will search for (or maybe even fix) missing alt texts in the future.
    – samcarter_is_at_topanswers.xyz
    Feb 10 at 14:22
  • @samcarter_is_at_topanswers.xyz That's not really what I was talking about. It was mostly an answer to a question like "Wouldn't it be easier to simply not edit the placeholder text?" - the answer is "no". See also the comment by Emil Jeřábek which similarly doesn't make much sense in light that it's not something done by hand. Because adding text that "describes the image" cannot really be automated. Yes, ideally you do want such text. And I agree adding the diff might be better left off. However, I think it's a disservice to examine this as "this user capitalised the word it BY HAND".
    – VLAZ
    Feb 10 at 14:28
  • @VLAZ Not editing the placeholder text at all is still easier as making a "close to zero effort" automatic edit. (not by much, but still...)
    – samcarter_is_at_topanswers.xyz
    Feb 10 at 14:31
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    @VLAZ ... what I originally meant with my comment was that it would be easier to not edit the placeholder text than making SO change the default text.
    – samcarter_is_at_topanswers.xyz
    Feb 10 at 14:35
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    @VLAZ Whether it is automated or manual does not matter: the capitalization is a pointless edit that does not improve the post one iota, and therefore should not be done.
    – Emil Jeřábek
    Feb 10 at 15:40
  • @EmilJeřábek I can't help but feel you're blowing this out of proportions. Is the extra diff unneeded? Yes. Is it an insurmountable problem to be avoided at absolutely all costs? No. If you do really feel so strongly about it - rollback the edit, make your own, flag for a moderator to remove the rollbacked edit from the revision history. See if the site's moderators agree with you on how harmful it is that one letter was capitalised when it didn't strictly need to be.
    – VLAZ
    Feb 10 at 15:45
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    @VLAZ That’s funny, because, looking at this thread, you seem to be the only one who “feels so strongly about it”.
    – Emil Jeřábek
    Feb 10 at 15:59
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    @EmilJeřábek I was trying to tell two people to chill over one capitalised letter. Since I'm now attacked over "feeling strongly about it", I guess there is no further point trying to try you to make you chill over the one capitalised letter. Bye, for now. Wish you a happy Friday.
    – VLAZ
    Feb 10 at 16:07

1 Answer 1

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As far as image descriptions go, "enter image description" is irredeemable no matter the capitalization. It's really not much better than typing nonsense instead. It shouldn't be capitalized, it shouldn't be punctuated, it shouldn't be paraphrased. It shouldn't ever appear in the final submission at all.

Instead, the image should actually be described, like I've done in a subsequent edit.

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