Suggestion to UserLand: Create a "Useful Code" Radio 8.0 Site for Non-Programmers
I've been suggesting (ranting?) that Radio UserLand 8.0 has a great deal of potential, but much of it is out of reach if you don't know how to code in HTML. Most people don't want to -- and shouldn't have to -- learn how to code to have additional functionality. Programming has reached a point where it's not difficult to provide "click and insert" features, such as inserting navigational bars, graphics and photos, bullets, boxes and tables, etc.
Useful Code site features
Radio 8.0 has been out, officially, for only a few weeks, and already I am seeing simple but useful features on 8.0 sites. What if UserLand would create a "Useful Code" Radio 8.0 site for non-programmers. I originally wrote this as a "Cool Code" site, but it's not about "cool" (which is fine, too), but about enhancing usefulness.
The UserLand site would feature:
1. A link to the 8.0 site where the useful feature is displayed plus a description of what the feature is.
2. The actual HTML code, from start to finish. (== Code Start == and ==Code End ==)
3. Instructions for where to insert the code in the appropriate template (there are only two now), perhaps with a few lines of the "standard" template code included so non-programmers know what code they are supposed to be looking for. After all, you don't want to screw up the template because you've placed the HTML in the wrong place.
4. Ask Radio 8.0 programmers to do the work, too! Solicit Radio 8.0 progammers (just users who can code a nice feature) to proactively submit all the information in Numbers 1 - 3. Describe the feature, include the code and note where to place it. Send it to UserLand. UserLand could even have a special notation -- a star, a ribbon, a green cactus, whatever -- that would highlight the fact that the programmer sent in the suggestion.
Make it fair
Obviously, the idea is not to steal someone's code and post it for all to see -- even if anyone can "view source" for themselves.
The Radio UserLand home page would include a link to the "Useful Code for Non-Programmers" site.
UserLand employees (Scoble, Robb, programmers, etc.) would see a feature that would be useful, copy the code, send the code to the programmer asking if it could be posted online. The programmer would receive a link to the site and recognition. Perhaps UserLand could offer some sort of "award" for the best feature of the month or best feature of the quarter.
I'm not talking about fancy stuff, such as Java animations (though that would be okay, too <g>), but simple, useful features: different ways to box text, add and enhance navigational bars, how to add a link for an instant message.
I have some suggestions for features that exist and would be nice to post, but I'll e-mail those suggestions privately.
The value
The value is obvious. Non-programmers can quickly and easily add useful features to their 8.0 sites. The programmers get recognition and satisfaction and, perhaps, some award. UserLand has a way to quickly, easily and inexpensively help non-programmers.
9:40:56 AM 
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