WebMeddler

WebMeddler is a Java applet and scripts that a site manager can insert into certain Web pages of their site. The applet allows designated individuals to make edits to the Web page (or only certain sections of the Web page) by bringing up the page in their Web browser, highlighting the section to be changed, and then launching an edit window (either by a separate link on the page or an entry in the user's favorites) that allows them to type in the new information and save it to the page. Alternately, the site administrator can create and provide templates to authors that allow them to fill in all of the information required for that page. Because the site administrator can control both what can be edited and who can process edits, they can allow end-user authors to control the content of the site while still maintaining control over the HTML. No HTML knowledge is necessary for the authors who use the editing tools.

Pages become editable by placing an invisible Java applet and JavaScript scripts in the head of the targeted documents, and an additional tool is provide that allows administrators to apply the scripts to multiple pages. When authors complete the edits, the pages are written to the server using an FTP connection; meaning that WebMeddler will only work with sites where FTP read/write access to the site is available (AOL sites, for example, do not have this type of access). Site administrators can control not only what sections of the page can be edited and who can edit them; but can additionally control the types of formatting that can be applied (such as bold, italics, links, font types, etc.) that can be used by the authors.

WebMeddler is available now, with a price of $199 per site/domain (price allows for unlimited numbers of end-user authors). Visit the Media Lab Web site for further information.