Searching threads by ZIP code and nearby areas

Sometimes we want to buy animals from the local dealers in order to avoid the shipping stress.
Suggestion: A searching tool which allow the "searcher" to see threads started by people living in the nearby area. A ZIP code box and a pull down box with options like 25/50/100/250 miles radius.
All members would need to have a ZIP code area registered though.

I think if members would simply provide location info in their profile, it would go along way to accomplishing the same thing without the trouble and expense of custom programming. Not to mention that anyone not putting in location info in the first place is going to be unlikely to provide zip code info.

Maybe a required ZIP code field on the registration menu would be helpful. For countries that don't use ZIP code, that option obviously would not be required.
A open field saying "Location" is too vague... Am I supposed to put the country, state, city, "home," "work," none of the above, all of the above? You know what I mean?
Maybe a better registration area...

I think you're asking for something more that would be seen in the Photo Classifieds (which Rich says he's getting rid of anyway) rather then the general forum.

I'm sure the zip code thing in the general forum is possible, but I doubt Rich will want to spend the money on custom programming for something like that. Sure a new registration area would work for new members, but what of the current members? Their are over 50,000 registered members now...Do you really think you're going to get all 50,000 to update their profiles for that little convenience for a handful of people?

They may have to if the new law passes for pythons and boas and it shouldnt be that hard it is done on CRAIGSLIST

TLJx2 said:

They may have to if the new law passes for pythons and boas and it shouldnt be that hard it is done on CRAIGSLIST

Click to expand...

Shop on craigslist then?
Thats like the third bump on an old thread for local searching. We get it. You want to find likeminded peoplez around you. Bumping every thread that says "search locally" aint gonna help though.

Craigslist

Hey F*€k you asshole it was only a suggestion and would stop all the fraud sales you have on this piece of shit site wait until they ban the state to state salesof the larger snakesand you lose a lot of your people here because they can't search locally. Instead of waisting time being a smartass maybe you should be trying to work that local search out. I hate f wads like you who make me lose my temper if it's been mentioned more than once on multible threads then it must be something that people want. And people dick face is want keeps this site going. I'm sorry for the foul language to all of the nice people here but I hate it when these fourms want your opinions but only if it agrees with their opinions in the end. Later I'm off to craigslist lmao

Just because we welcome opinions and suggestions doesn't mean that they will all be impemented. The more custom programming that is added, the more every update costs...and the more headaches are incurred when there is a problem. Sometimes, priorities change, and ideas that were not incorporated may be looked at differently; however, stating your case in that manner does nothing to further your suggestions. The profanity & name calling are not acceptable on this site...and, if you think it is such a piece of , you have the option of not using it.
(Be advised, if you follow with another outburst like that when your access is restored, you may not have the option of coming back)

Comparing the rudimentary programming of Craig List to the complexity of vBulletin is Apples to Oranges.

I do think it's an important tool that should be strongly considered for the continued success of the Classifieds here...But I also understand the costs incurred for custom programming...

Perhaps instead of people demanding things get done and getting hot and bothered that they don't...Consider setting up a fundraiser or donations drive made specifically for custom items the members would like implemented? Food for thought.

While CL serves its purposes, I am not inclined to purchase much, if anything regarding reptiles from there. I would rather be here dealing with people I can trust to get right animal(s) for me. I also see no issue(s) with shipping and receiving what I want as well. Localizing your market only limits you to local business. While that may be great in Ohio and Pennsylvania, it could really suck say in Las Vegas or Oklahoma.

TLJx2 said:

Hey F*€k you asshole it was only a suggestion and would stop all the fraud sales you have on this piece of shit site wait until they ban the state to state salesof the larger snakesand you lose a lot of your people here because they can't search locally. Instead of waisting time being a smartass maybe you should be trying to work that local search out. I hate f wads like you who make me lose my temper if it's been mentioned more than once on multible threads then it must be something that people want. And people dick face is want keeps this site going. I'm sorry for the foul language to all of the nice people here but I hate it when these fourms want your opinions but only if it agrees with their opinions in the end. Later I'm off to craigslist lmao

Click to expand...

Sure... How much are you willing to pony up to get this implemented? Do you think custom programming is cheap and of no consequence to future updates to the main software of this site? The base software for this forum was not designed to be used in all the ways everyone wants it to be used. So when custom coding is done, not only do I face the expense of the initial coding project, but with every update of the base software, each custom bell and whistle will normally need to be completely recoded again to meet the demands of the changed base software layer. That's why updates are a long time coming here. It's just very expensive to do, and with all of those custom modifications being done, it is fraught with peril because of potential bugs being introduced that could potentially corrupt the database. Besides, creating an effective search algorithm for a free-form string text field is really not a trivial task. To be truly effective, the location info entered during registration or when the member wanted to edit it after relocating would have to be strictly controlled. For instance, you would be amazed at how many people don't realize that the abbreviation for Mississippi is "MS" and not "MI"...

But I guess anyone can make suggestions, or even apparently demands, as long as they don't have to foot the bill for them......

BTW, the ads in the classifieds sections DO show the location of the person who placed the ad. I am sorry that you taking YOUR time to scan the ads is far too bothersome for you and you want ME to do that work for you. Quite frankly, I just don't believe that the classifieds here are getting all that much traffic that someone can't just scan for what they are looking for. And to be quite honest, this site just is not bringing in all that much money that I can just spend it frivolously on every whim and fancy that comes up as a suggestion. I learned my lesson from the past on various things I paid to have implemented that never got used by the membership. So I do intend to be realistic about such things now and in the future.