Strange as this may sound, one of the huge benefits to Weebly is the scarcity of mechanism. Why is this so good? It's because once you learn a small number of mechanisms, you know all that Weebly can do, and you can then concentrate on using those mechanisms to build up larger constructs in your documents. Of course, it is important to have the right building blocks -- and the Weebly team have clearly thought a lot about what are the small number of constructs needed to build a lot of different types of things in documents.
I remember listening in 2006 to the Weebly team's (the original team of 3) presentation at Y'Combinator's office in Cambridge, MA about their Summer of Code project where they expressed their guiding design principle of simplicity. And, I believe they continue to adhere to that principle.
Having said that, I have one, very simple suggestion, that I believe will satisfy a simple desire of non-technical Weebly users: introduce the ability to select a background and outline for the multiple column element.
Here are the changes I am proposing to the multiple column element:
Where today a multiple column element occupies a space on the page with a transparent background, and no outline, after this change, you would be able to see standard structures such as highlight boxes with text, pictures with colored background frames, etc.
Here is an example of a before and after view of what could be done with this change:
I remember listening in 2006 to the Weebly team's (the original team of 3) presentation at Y'Combinator's office in Cambridge, MA about their Summer of Code project where they expressed their guiding design principle of simplicity. And, I believe they continue to adhere to that principle.
Having said that, I have one, very simple suggestion, that I believe will satisfy a simple desire of non-technical Weebly users: introduce the ability to select a background and outline for the multiple column element.
Here are the changes I am proposing to the multiple column element:
- Increase the number of column attribute so that it goes from 1 to 5
- For the entire element, add the ability to specify a background (pattern) and a bgcolor (single color).
- For the entire element, add the ability to specify an outline pattern, width, color, shape (rectangle, rounded rectangle) and for rounded rectangles, a radius.
Where today a multiple column element occupies a space on the page with a transparent background, and no outline, after this change, you would be able to see standard structures such as highlight boxes with text, pictures with colored background frames, etc.
Here is an example of a before and after view of what could be done with this change:
Before
| Hi, I'm Harry Forsdick. Welcome to my web site. I have set up this site to deliver on my belief that the true value of the Internet is the Empowerment of the Individual -- our ability to inexpensively find information under our own control and our ability to publish facts, ideas, concerns, passions, joys, advice, etc... I have been involved in the Internet since 1971, working at BBN where the ARPANet, the precursor to the Internet was developed. The maturation of the Internet is extremely satisfying to see, having worked thirty years ago imagining many of the tools and techniques that have come to pass. | 
|
This site is a collection of articles shown in reverse chronological order. Although a little confusing when you first encounter the site, if you come back, the most recently entered material is found at the top of the opening page. If this is your first time here, try going from bottom to top to experience the articles as I entered them.
After
| Hi, I'm Harry Forsdick. Welcome to my web site. I have set up this site to deliver on my belief that the true value of the Internet is the Empowerment of the Individual -- our ability to inexpensively find information under our own control and our ability to publish facts, ideas, concerns, passions, joys, advice, etc... I have been involved in the Internet since 1971, working at BBN where the ARPANet, the precursor to the Internet was developed. The maturation of the Internet is extremely satisfying to see, having worked thirty years ago imagining many of the tools and techniques that have come to pass. | 
|
This site is a collection of articles shown in reverse chronological order. Although a little confusing when you first encounter the site, if you come back, the most recently entered material is found at the top of the opening page. If this is your first time here, try going from bottom to top to experience the articles as I entered them.
Or
Or,
| Hi, I'm Harry Forsdick. Welcome to my web site. I have set up this site to deliver on my belief that the true value of the Internet is the Empowerment of the Individual -- our ability to inexpensively find information under our own control and our ability to publish facts, ideas, concerns, passions, joys, advice, etc... 
| 
I have been involved in the Internet since 1971, working at BBN where the ARPANet, the precursor to the Internet was developed. The maturation of the Internet is extremely satisfying to see, having worked thirty years ago imagining many of the tools and techniques that have come to pass. |
Or even,
My point, is that with this one relatively simple change to one element, a lot of interesting document structures can be enabled -- and enabled for the normal non-technical user of Weebly.
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