I wonder if you could take it another step and just put a row of tiny image icons at the bottom of the text area. Clicking once on one of the icons might insert a "<P>" or a "<CODE> </CODE>" at the cursor point with JavaScript. We'd all find it useful, probably, if it worked.

Actually I just found a very detailed response to someone who (surprise) asked the same question once. Seems that it can be done in IE4/5 but not in Netscape (unless you use a Java input frame). I suppose you could cover a lot of newbies if you did it to show up just for IE.. but ick.

Move SIG!