nontechnical contributors --> articles, w/consistent format - Joomla! Forum - community, help and support

i'm experimenting joomla 2.5 small project site collects essays multiple authors, of whom non-tekkies. there high value placed on simple, consistent formatting of essays on time.

what best-practices achieving such goals joomla?

based on quick exploration: in general, article text content, see (implicit) recommendations composing inside joomla 1 editor or another. or explicit recommendations composing locally, in ms word, copy-and-pasting plain text joomla , doing formatting within joomla.

i can see several possibilities project:

• contributors submit content in format tekkie admin/editor (me), responsible formatting.

this looks best way of achieving consistent--and formally valid-- formating, work me. i'd offer contributors clearest possible path publication. don't want choke-point.

• choose non-tekkie-friendly editor, customize possible provide set of simple css styles, , instruct contributors how basic formatting.

i'm doubtful non-tekkie contributors have patience deal this.

• install joomlack. instruct contributors compose locally, basic formatting --with style sheet provide-- in ms word , use paste-from-word feature.

based on few experiments, seems result in outwardly consistent formatting, ugly markup, using outdated means such font tags.

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i admit i'm new joomla, may have missed or totally confused of this. i'll grateful suggestions.

tia

this not complete answer, i'll give couple of things , think about.

first, careful copy/pasting office; hide alot of markup in there.

check out jce editor -- has office ui. default tiny mce (editor) has simple/clean design wouldn't confuse users.

take @ rs blog, users can post articles emailing website. i'm sure there other extensions same thing.

look popular k2 extension. on website have link free course, on @ os training, explains use.

good luck, , welcome joomla!