I completely agree as well.

I understand for issues of privacy, if you don't want to publicly show code or what not. But still if you have the communication open, all parties can view the comments and you know who is liable in almost all instances, or who is at fault.

This is the only site I know of where they don't want commenting in the threads, and it makes no sense to me. But I didn't make the rules, so wouldn't know the reasoning behind it naturally.

I think though that when a job is going on, the only people on guru that can view the comments are the client and the coder, and the website owners obviously. Which kind of helps with the privacy issue as well since none of us could view the sections or discussions anyway.

This is why I am struggling to find a coder with acceptable portfolio to review. ...

Yea i just ate a bill from someone here, I did work for him on his forums, and he said everything was great, and that was the last i heard from him so it definently goes both ways...

I think it would be an amazing idea if you implement a system where:

1. Buyer/coder communicate, and the project is awarded to a certain coder. The price is decided.

2. The buyer "pays" the money, but it is stored in VBulletin's secured account or something, and it is not "released" until the coder finishes their work and the buyer agrees to release the money.
3. The communication should take place in a "private thread", however if there is a discrepancy in the end - if both parties agree, the thread can be viewed by a staff member. And for providing this safety feature/staff, VBulletin should get a certain amount of the $. (Like 2-3% or perhaps more)

Just my 2 cents.

the whole point of the system is having jelsoft/site staff as least involved as possible.

Many of the cases if people would have done a search, they'd find who scams and who doesnt, instead of blindly hiring people who seem best

There should be a system like on ebay where the people have possitive rep and neggative

I wish there was an official vbulletin site for paid hacks and paid jobs. A site with member reputation and escrow service. I have been thinking of starting a site, just for the need of it, but my time is sparse.

You are in the same situation as all the other guys here Alfa1, everybody wants one, but nobody have the time for it...

maybe if Jelsoft provide the approval for such a site, someone would be more willing to start it as it would be a guaranty of reliability...

Yes, I do feel that it would be best if Jelsoft would be involved to some degree. Just so that such a site would be administered in line with Jelsofts wishes.

I see iTrader has been mentioned a few times in this thread. Seems to me the most sensible a easily implemented solution.