2011-05-26 20:10:09

hello all,

I have just finished my first year of university and have a long break before i start my second year, so i am thinking to make myself a project to have something to do. One of the things that came to my mind is to make an accessible version of ebay. This is something that has only just come to my mind and i have not started to research this further; whether its possible, or something already exists but never the less i wanted to put it forward to the public.

Firstly, i would like to ask how many of you use ebay and whether or not you have issues with it in terms of the pages being inaccessible, or there is too much unnecessary content.
Secondly if the content is to be cut down to the main components, what exactly would you like to see on the accessible version of ebay?

Also if anyone has any further ideas as well as this for projects that i could do that involved web applications then please give me more ideas!

Thank you

2011-05-26 20:23:59

I want to start out by making sure you intend to make the existing ebay accessible, and not that you intend to create your own new online auction site.  Starting up a whole new auction site would be a terrible terrible idea.  All in all, I think this is a good idea and many people would benefit from using ebay!

- Aprone
Please try out my games and programs:
Aprone's software

2011-05-26 20:34:54

You assume correctly. I have no intensions to start out my own auction sight. Who would go to a small website when there is ebay unless its offering a completely different service or products. But to assure you i am defernetly intending to make what we already have more accessible for more people to take advantage.

2011-05-26 20:44:33

That sounds like a good plan.  I just had to ask because, believe it or not, I ran into a guy once trying to start up his own version of ebay to compete with the existing one.  Needless to say, he didn't get any business haha.

What will be your strategy to make ebay more accessible?  Will it, perhaps, be a website all its own that pulls data from ebay and displays it in an accessible way?  I suppose another option would be a program of some sort, possibly like how Klango.net has its own client software to help people navigate the message board.

- Aprone
Please try out my games and programs:
Aprone's software

2011-05-26 22:05:41

This reminds of the accesible amizon. One approach might be to some how make a program that makes the sight appear smaller with a search box and a heading for results. At the bottom, account settings a privacy policy. Ebay isn't terrible by itself, you can navigat mostly by headings and frames. It could still be improved on however.

2011-05-26 22:21:49

Yes at the moment i am trying to enhance my php developing skills etc so the idea is to pull information into an accessible format. The results of this project may not be seen instantly as it does take a lot of work implomanting such thing but i will sure keep you updated on my progress. As mentioned above, it is an idea that struck me today and so i decided to share it with you. In other words no research has taken place.