Palm Desert, California: One of the themes of DEMO 08 is new web
services that allow ordinary users to create content in forms usually
left to the professionals.
Blist, Flypaper and Sprout showed how anyone could easily create databases, Flash presentations and widgets respectively.

Kevin Merritt, Blist chief executive, said mainstream users until now
have tried to wedge all their data into an Excel spreadsheet. Blist in
its list view looks like an Excel spreadsheet, with some columns you
might not expect. Its impressively simple interface allows users to
drag in columns such as star ratings, document links and pictures. Long
lists can be included in single cells and icons can be inserted from
drop-down boxes. There is the standard database record view and also a
calendar view to show when tasks are due. Filters can be created just
by dragging the relevant columns into a box and defining the criteria
for them.

Flypaper says it has developed the easiest way to tell stories that
stick on the web by bringing the power of custom Flash programming to
everyone. Flypaper provides Flash page templates and model
presentations that can be edited and adapted with drag-and-drop
objects. It is also building a community of users that will share their
models and extend its library. It demonstrated how to create a CV with
text, pictures and video elements  that will play in Flash like a
YouTube clip. In fact, it can be posted directly to sites like YouTube,
Facebook and MySpace.

Sprout has a similar widget creation tool, with pre-built templates and
drag-and-drop features. It allows users to publish to a range of
websites, make instant changes and see how much their widgets are being
used through analytical tables and charts.

So now that anyone can do this web content thing, it looks like Flash
programmers and widget developers are going to be relegated to the same
lowered status as photographers and ….journalists.