[Spinball]

Originally Posted by cinq

1) Adding a search feature that is on the ads section that will only throw up ads is more efficient for the end user, don't you think ?
2) Adding to a member's post count can be easily done with a single query, from anywhere outside the forums.
3) Yep, but what if the seperate ads section also has its own trader rating system.

Well, I just have a personal preference to keep most things out of forum threads/post, you could always do a classifieds adverts hack such that adverts are posts in the forums too of course

Having the classifieds as threads
1) You can do this using a forum-specific search
2) Yeah but things get more complicated when you want to
a) search for all posts by the user (in forums or as admin),
b) check their IP address using the 'real IP' and 'other users using the same IP' hacks
c) have the spam killer 3000 hack work with the classifieds
d) etc
3) that would mean having to switch from the current trader ratings system. Don't want to do that unless there is an import system with roll-back option.

I would do it all myself but I don't really have the time to get into coding complex hacks. Let's face it, it's all about time. Anyone could write hacks if they had the time to learn the coding. You guys are already experienced coders. I'm suggesting that you could maybe add another string to your bow by writing a good, well integrated classifieds hack.