vbClassified Software -- Keep it or kill it?

[TGO David]

I had high hopes for the vbClassified software that we use for our classified ads feature, but we've had several problems and mixed sentiments from our members about the software.

The author of vbClassified has been out of the country on a work assignment (he says) and support has been completely nonexistent since January 7, 2009. Four months of zero support on nagging issues is a really bad thing.

I'm very tempted to can the vbClassified software on TGO and go back to using regular old forums dedicated to the task. In fact I think that if I remove vbClassified, the forums that it stores data in will remain and the existing ads will more or less still be there.

I am going to leave this up to popular vote. If you'd like to see the vbClassified software thrown out, let me know. I've already thrown it out on another forum that I run and I will admit that the members there are much happier.

Let your voices be heard.

[Guest bkelm18]

I liked the idea of the standardization with the vbClassified section, but there are just a few too many glitches and subtle nuances that I dislike to the point where I really would prefer the old forum based style.

[poak]

I want to like it, I really do, but like bkelm said, there are just too many glitches. That, and the fact that support is non-existent would lead me to vote for going back to the old style forum based ads.

[Fallguy]

Well I haven't ever really used the classifieds on here that much to be honest, but I will say it seems to have even been a little more difficult to navigate since the switch.

[creeky]

I liked the old way better. The software is a good idea, but without support they won't be able to address issues and evolve it into something more user friendly.

[Guest jwp]

Trash it. It's too much of a headache.

[xd shooter]

I like the old way better. Alot easier.

[Guest Astra900]

The simpler the better.

[Smith]

Only thing I like is the Classified Rating. It is much easier to use than posting +1 stuff in another forum, but I much prefer the old listing way.

[SkWaShDeM]

I gotta agree with Nate, the ratings system is the only part of vbClassified that I really like. The rest of it can go away for all I care. I wish I could propose an alternative to vbClassified for a ratings system, but nothing comes to mind.

[Guest Astra900]

Since we are all honest friends here, we could keep a record of our positive/negative feedback count in our attached signature??????? Just a thought.

We know any liars in that system would get called out quickly....sharp eyed fellars on this forum, yeah?

[EMTRN]

I agree with everyone about the feedback being the only good thing.

[Oh Shoot]

One of the Really Bad things about it is not being able to use images within the body of the ad via the tag method.

Also, I guess the feedback thing is directly tied to the Classified module, no way to preserve it standalone, eh? The feedback thing is really the only thing I might like to see preserved. Then again, I guess if somebody is really a ripoff artist, they'd get nuked in fairly short time regardless....

- OS

[nightrunner]

i absolutely HATE the new system. about the only thing i really like about it is that it has its own link at the top of the page along with the "new posts" etc.

other than that i would love to see the forum format back

[TGO David]

There is presently not a way to provide eBay style feedback ratings w/o using the Classifieds software. There used to be an add-on for vBulletin that provided this but the author abandoned the project and no one else has picked it up.

If we kill the vbClassifieds (which I am in favor of doing) we will loose the feedback ratings system also.

[dralarms]

What about the other forum software? It has a feedback area. Would that not work?

[TGO David]

What about the other forum software? It has a feedback area. Would that not work?

You've lost me. What other software?

[Guest Bluemax]

Well one thing to our advantage is that TGO requires at least a months membership and 50 posts before being able to post a classified. I sell and buy a few things on ebay once in a while but thats a little different. Let's say we started a new system and if someone had a item we were interested in we took a llok at their post history, common sense should tell us if they were legitimate

[dralarms]

You've lost me. What other software?

The Software you are using at USGO

[TGO David]

The Software you are using at USGO

No, it just has a feedback forum that I set up for that purpose. I could do that here as well and will if we ditch vbClassified.

What everyone else is talking about here is the eBay style feedback ratings that appear beneath people's names when they post.

[dralarms]

No, it just has a feedback forum that I set up for that purpose. I could do that here as well and will if we ditch vbClassified.

What everyone else is talking about here is the eBay style feedback ratings that appear beneath people's names when they post.

Ok, sorry for the confusion. I was just pointing out that we could still leave feedback although it would not be in the current format. If it would make things easier on you I say ditch it. I know what it is like to buy something and then find out the 1 person that knows everything about the software is "out" and it takes 6 months for him to be "in".

I admire what you do for us here and would like to see things eaiser for you.

Either way, whatever you decide, WE all owe you a big thanks.

[Guest bkelm18]

Well one thing to our advantage is that TGO requires at least a months membership and 50 posts before being able to post a classified. I sell and buy a few things on ebay once in a while but thats a little different. Let's say we started a new system and if someone had a item we were interested in we took a llok at their post history, common sense should tell us if they were legitimate

It was the same way before. You couldn't post in the "For Sale" forum until you had 50 posts and 30 days.