This would be a peer-to-peer system for classified ads. You have a program that can serve classified ads that you create (such as things for sale, services wanted, notices, etc), and also browse for ads (things you want to buy, legal notices, auctions, etc).

The reason this is preferable to newspaper or web-based classified is

1. It's totally controlled by the poster - it doesn't cost anything to post an ad.

2. It's real-time, and ads expire when the user stops serving them, so you never see old or outdated ads (for things already sold, etc.)

3. Ads can stay up indefinately.

You can then search all peers for things and services you are interested in.
-- lawpoop, Jul 16 2003

craigslist http://www.craigslist.org/
on line free classified [oxen crossing, Oct 04 2004]

Interesting concept.
-- DrCurry, Jul 16 2003


hmm.. not sure that people are really likely to self-police.. and it would mean you'd need to have your peer on all the time (what if I wanted to advertise something in a different time-zone).
-- neilp, Jul 16 2003


craigslist [link]. Only you don't have to leave your computer on all day. You can delete the ad at any time, it's free, and OK, you see a few old ads, but craigslist deletes all ads after 10 days anyway, so most ads are still 'live.' I don't see any improvement over that here.[-]
-- oxen crossing, Jul 16 2003


About the self-policing problem: Add filters and search terms.
-- lawpoop, Jul 16 2003


I like this one... A pastry for you... I don't think classified ads are necessarily the killer app for this concept, but I think there might be other seriously creative uses for P2P networking that haven't been really explored yet.
-- zigness, Feb 21 2004



random, halfbakery