> Here “alt” is being used as an abbreviation of “alternate” ... I would have said a shortening of alternative, as alternate is a verb (occasionally an adjecti

> Here “alt” is being used as an abbreviation of “alternate” ... I would have said a shortening of alternative, as alternate is a verb (occasionally an adjective) and means to oscillate between two variations / options. Alternative is very much an adjective and refers to one (of presumably many) permutations or possibilities. Common usage seems to be dragging the latter closer to the former, unfortunately, but it's frustrating for people that appreciate the nuances of these two distinctly different words.