Introduction

CoTrader is a free web based online classified advertising system that enables people to put the products they want to sell on an accessible website with contact information (phone or email) such that other people can see the add and respond when interested. The first motive to build this application was from a realization that the university bookstores are not treating us fairly with book buybacks.

The South Carolina Trader

The main idea is based on the South Carolina trader, a weekly newspaper that is basically a message board for advertisements placed by people who are willing to sell a product. Ads are sorted by product (or product group) and include product description, phone number (of the seller) and certain constraints.

Description of functionalities

The functionality of this project is clear. We want people to be able to find the right product online, preferably second hand, at the price that the market will bear... Preserving all of the profit for them. To this end the application will provide an interface for both people placing ads and those browsing the available products. The website will offer such a suggestion in situations like this, providing assorted textual handholding tips so that the users can (hopefully) manage to navigate the options presented to them. It will implement automatic email notification of both the status and the current bids (to sellers), and notification of new items meeting certain search criteria (to buyers).

List of features

1. For sellers: (Allow users to post ads with contact information.)
	A. Posted advertisements will contain:
a.	Item name
b.	Item description
c.	Item categorization(s) [can choose more then one]
- User can also paste a new categorization under the existing hierarchy
d.	Item cost:
Can be:
- suggested cost
- non-negotiable cost

e.	Contact information
Can be:
- email address
- phone number
- automatic email notification via post directly to site
- any combination therein [at least one is required]
f.	Optional physical location [part of town]

B. Status checks
a.	Seller can check the current status of his item for any
communications from buyers
b.	- Current bid status
- Current posted responses to non-bid ads

2.	For buyers: (Allow users to respond to ads.)
	A. Buyers can browse ads
a.	Browse by keyword search
b.	Browse by category


	B. Buyers can post responses to sellers
a.	Reply via a message stored locally to be delivered to buyer on next
login
b.	Reply via a message that is automatically forwarded to users email.






Division of Labor



David Brooks 

Created the basic architecture and a starting point of the implementation.
Authored the htmlgen and sqlman classes.
Implemented account logins and session handling in Cot.
Implemented posting and searching for ads
Implemented final version of category tree browsing and posting. 




 Jeff Beemon  


Evangilized for the use of SQL vs. a homebrewed database engine 
    [WE ALL THANK YOU FOR THAT]
Assisted in user interface design.
Provided significant input in decisions related to database layout. 
Contributed to the set preferences feature. 




 Remy Jansen  


Spearheaded basic implementation of login page and the main page display class.
Initiated development on the Category Tree database backend.
Contributed to the user interface code for the Category Tree feature
Drew up final UML diagrams




 Emilio Mangue  


Assisted in user interface design.
Contributed to database design decisions. 
Helped to coordinate team meetings
Was of great assistance in the project proposal writertup
Coordinated and developed the final writeup and presentation