Most weblog software makes it easy enough to write simple plain text articles, but what if you want to add a bit of spice, some emphasis, or more complex formatting such as a list:—
- Item 1
- Item 2
etc.
Well, of course, you can resort to good old HTML tags. Not that difficult, but my experience of hosting a number of discussion group websites is that few users have the first idea about HTML (why on earth should they) and are plain put off by it, so a simpler, more intuitive form of markup could just fit the bill…
…enter Markdown and SmartyPants, two tiny plugins for MovableType from the Daring Fireball John Gruber which make basic HTML formatting a breeze — “Simply spectacular”.
