Classifieds - questions

[blankoboy]

I am planning to start up a buy/sell/trade/wanted Classifieds site. I have a bunch of questions regarding Photopost Classifieds I was hoping I could get answered.

For reference, I plan to hire for the following:
- to have Classifieds instsalled.
- to re-skin/template the site to my liking.

So without further adieu:

1 - Can multiple languages be supported (user selectable) if a template file is created for the non-English language?
2 - Want to have rss feeds implemented for each category. Is this possible?
3 - Want to implement some banner advertising/adsense. (Will I need VB3 perhaps?)
4 - Users can only directly contact other users via PM (not divulging user email addresses).
5 - What is the rough time frame for the production release of Classifieds 2.5?
6 - What benefit do I get from integrating with VB3 versus going standalone?
7 - If I like the look/feel of VB3 is it best to integrate Classifieds with it instead of standalone?
8 - Not planning to implement a forum for this project (only classifieds at this time).

9 - I really like the use of the Tag Cloud at this site: http://www.adverts.ie. Is this a supported feature or a hack?

Thanks.

[Chuck S]

Originally Posted by blankoboy

1 - Can multiple languages be supported (user selectable) if a template file is created for the non-English language?

Classifieds only includes english language although you can make your own language files based off the english provided. The language selection is a global setting as well and not user selectable.

Originally Posted by blankoboy

2 - Want to have rss feeds implemented for each category. Is this possible?

I suppose you can visit the modifications forum to grab any rss mods available. There is no rss script within our downloadable script so this would be something you would add through a mod.

Originally Posted by blankoboy

3 - Want to implement some banner advertising/adsense. (Will I need VB3 perhaps?)

You can place whatever html code you wish in the header and footers of the classifieds script.

Originally Posted by blankoboy

4 - Users can only directly contact other users via PM (not divulging user email addresses).

We do have a contact seller function which brings up a text input box that a user can use to contact the seller and the email is not known. The script sends the contents of the contact box to the user via email without anyone knowing the email and the seller of course can decide at his leisure to reply.

Originally Posted by blankoboy

5 - What is the rough time frame for the production release of Classifieds 2.5?

Classifieds 2.5 was released several months ago.

Originally Posted by blankoboy

6 - What benefit do I get from integrating with VB3 versus going standalone?

You would gain the ability to have a forum where users can interact in discussion threads instead of just running a classifieds site strictly alone

Originally Posted by blankoboy

7 - If I like the look/feel of VB3 is it best to integrate Classifieds with it instead of standalone?

If that is your wish and you feel you like the look sure.

Originally Posted by blankoboy

8 - Not planning to implement a forum for this project (only classifieds at this time).

OK

[quote=blankoboy]
9 - I really like the use of the Tag Cloud at this site: http://www.adverts.ie. Is this a supported feature or a hack?

This is not a support feature or hack by our company since we do not support modifications to our code. Any such modifications you make to your install you do so at your descretion. This is a modification that I show a user has posted in the mod forums for classifieds.

[blankoboy]

Originally Posted by Chuck S

We do have a contact seller function which brings up a text input box that a user can use to contact the seller and the email is not known. The script sends the contents of the contact box to the user via email without anyone knowing the email and the seller of course can decide at his leisure to reply.

What is there to guard against idle spamming? It seems that the user would have no way to block specific senders this way as it gets passed along by the system. Couldn't this in turn could get a site listed as a spam vector?

Is there anyway to make it so that only registered members can contact others via PM? This would allow users to block messages from people they do not wish to communicate with.

Originally Posted by Chuck S

Classifieds 2.5 was released several months ago.

D'oh, I must have missed that as the main page still says 2.0. Glad to hear that then.

Originally Posted by Chuck S

This is not a support feature or hack by our company since we do not support modifications to our code. Any such modifications you make to your install you do so at your descretion. This is a modification that I show a user has posted in the mod forums for classifieds.

I understand you are available for hire to help set up Photopost products for customers. Is this limited to the product itself or can you quote prices for setting up modifications for Photopost products?

So here is a 'basic' overview of what I would need:

- Setting up and configuring vbulletin.
- Setting up and configuring PP Classifieds.
- Configuring modifications on PP Classifieds (rss feeds and tag cloud).
- Configuring the layout, etc.
- Skinning the site (I understand that if vb is skinned that PP Classifieds will inherit and seamlessly use the skin). I'm guessing I should hire a vb template/skinnner for this.

Are you available for hire for the above services? Thanks again.

[Chuck S]

Yes I am available for all that just contact the email in my signature.

The contact seller thing can not be a spam vector. we never show email addresses in the program

[blankoboy]

Originally Posted by Chuck S

Yes I am available for all that just contact the email in my signature.

That's great to hear. I am in the UK on business this week but will back to you shortly after I return home.

Originally Posted by Chuck S

The contact seller thing can not be a spam vector. we never show email addresses in the program

Yes, I understand that email addresses are not shown but what is there in place to prevent abusers from repeatedly contacting ad posters?

Edit: I just noticed on 'viperalley.com' that a user must be registered to contact sellers. Is the default behaviour for PP Classifieds? If so, then I suppose this allows the administrator to ban users who are abusive about messaging sellers. Correct?

ps - does anyone know any example PP Classified sites with the RSS mod installed? Thanks.

[Chuck S]

For contact sellers to show you must be registered so that would be correct