Bartertown.com

So I was thinking, is there any way to post a CONUS (Continental US) map graphic on the front page of Bartertown? This map would have the number of BTRs (Bad Trader Reports) shown in varying shades of red to reflect the number of BTRs from that state. You could then click on each state and get a list of the BTRs from the ITL.

Something like this.

Just an idea......


Mark

The problem I see in that is, consider that perhaps 100,000 people come from the US on this site. Evenly divided, that's 2000 people per state. Even one percent, 20 people, could rip off someone and instantly that state has a bad rep. So, 1980 people suddenly get screwed over because of 1% of the traders there.

I have the same concern. I'm not too sure that having a map detailing the locations of bad traders would help.

If people are really worried, they can always use the 'Check for bad people in: ' function when looking up at someone's references to see if a lot of people in that State/Province/Country have had a poor trading history.

Uh.. you do know there are only 10,698 members right?

Your number are waaaaay off. If say, the 698 out of that number are canadian, then the other 10,000 would only break up (if divided evenly among the states of course) into 200 people.

I don't think the map would be a bad idea at all actually.

Mapbuilder.com/.org has a great mashup program. It takes about 30 minutes for me to load 10000 of our clients into it, so I wouldnt imagine the bad traders numbers would be too bad.

Geo-code first, then mashup(soon to be a word, I assure you )

Which one, geo-code or mashup?

You do know that Bartertown already has a negative feedback search? If you click on someone's references, there's a link on the top of the page to search for all negative feedbacks in that user's state.

Alsiaie wrote:You do know that Bartertown already has a negative feedback search? If you click on someone's references, there's a link on the top of the page to search for all negative feedbacks in that user's state.

Yes I do. Unfortunately, some people keep coming back with new user accounts, don't list states or contact you by e-mail only. Jason Ticknor and now someone in Rolla, MO are examples.

Let's look at bravo_2_zero, the latest Bad Trader from Rolla, MO.

Here's his only post

Click on his feedback (0) rating and get this.

Click on his profile and get this.

I'm thinking this map can be one just for Bad Traders, info controlled by the admin/mod team. Click on a red state and get a listing of Bad Trader usernames, real names (and/or used aliases) with city/state/address. The idea being is that if I start a trade/sale with a new B-towner with a username Chuckleheadz with no trade refs, and he wants a money order mailed to Rollo, MO, I'll know to be extra careful or back out. Why, there is someone in Rollo, MO who has been ripping people off for years.

I think this might be a better way to help NooBs here on Bartetown and but a bigger crimp in repeat offenders. The ITL is great, but it relies on the Honor System, something repeat offenders take advantage of. and then put the map right on the front page of Bartertown for everyone to see and use.

This will also be easier to implement than my other idea: Clusters of APFS penetrators in an ablative heat resistant shell placed in low earth orbit that can be dropped onto a specific location anywhere on the planet. This would saturate a 50' diameter area with a 90% Pk (Probability kill) in the target area. I'm having problems figuring out the guidance and control part of that one.


Mark

Spire_182 wrote:

Alsiaie wrote:
This will also be easier to implement than my other idea: Clusters of APFS penetrators in an ablative heat resistant shell placed in low earth orbit that can be dropped onto a specific location anywhere on the planet. This would saturate a 50' diameter area with a 90% Pk (Probability kill) in the target area. I'm having problems figuring out the guidance and control part of that one.


Mark

Mail the offender a nice GW case that has a small GPS unit placed in it,
That should help with the guidance

Spire_182 wrote: This will also be easier to implement than my other idea: Clusters of APFS penetrators in an ablative heat resistant shell placed in low earth orbit that can be dropped onto a specific location anywhere on the planet. This would saturate a 50' diameter area with a 90% Pk (Probability kill) in the target area. I'm having problems figuring out the guidance and control part of that one.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinetic_bombardment

It's some pretty old stuff. The Niven book is much fun reading!

maybe it's just me, but i think that it's kind of unfair to judge someone's trading quality by what state they're from. i mean, if a bunch of people in VA were bad traders and i came on here and noone would trade with me because of it, that would be kind of unfair, right?

there's a reason we have the 'lower rating sends/pays first' policy, and it has worked just fine for me. i used to pay first when purchasing, no matter the rating, but it screwed me out of $25 once, so i don't do it anymore unless both of us have high ratings (over 75).

so let the trader's rating speak for itself. if someone is new, or if you're both brand new, just trade or buy from reliable sources. that's the best way to do it without beginning a state-based witch hunt.

Though I do Have to say that "The Ticknor" Tried to get me on a Ebay item that he was selling,
Dumb guy gave a bad tracking number adn tried to scam me out of $6,
Paypal kicked the funds over, and his account got temed on Ebay, Not becasue of me,

Spire_182 wrote:So I was thinking, is there any way to post a CONUS (Continental US) map graphic on the front page of Bartertown? This map would have the number of BTRs (Bad Trader Reports) shown in varying shades of red to reflect the number of BTRs from that state. You could then click on each state and get a list of the BTRs from the ITL.

Something like this.

Just an idea......


Mark

You can already do an ITL by state check, it's quite amusing.

As an aside, there is a project in development that will involve the type of thing you're looking for, just on a more developed scale.