News from Dave - November 03, 2006 We added several enhancements recently, and we've already tweaked some of them to make them even better.  Here's a rundown of what's new at DG: Classified Ads Back in July, we introduced a low-cost way for individuals or companies to advertise goods or services.  For $5, you can run a two-week ad with unlimited text and a  photo for any legal, legitimate product or service.  Companies have used it to sell  their excess inventory, members have found it helpful to sell a variety of things. We also added a link to it from your "Home" page, making it easier to see all the current ads. BugFiles & Insectipedia Members suggested that we create a database for "bugs" just like we did for plants.  It was a great suggestion, and BugFiles has really taken off.   We then enhanced it with links to the pronunciation and etymology of the scientific names - be sure to check out Insectipedia, the newest addition to our Glossary. Forum Sponsorships For quite some time we've had companies contact us about sponsoring a DG forum  and in exchange, having a button on the forum which links to their site. It seems like a good idea to allow a select number of reputable garden-related sponsors help us pay for this ever-growing site, which surpassed the 250,000 member mile-mark this year. To make sure all our subscribed members were comfortable with this decision, we also added an option to turn off sponsorships in the same way that you have the option to turn off advertisements. Subscribers will find that option by clicking on "My Info" and then "Preferences". It won't hurt anyone's feelings if you disable sponsorships, but I'd encourage you to keep them enabled, as they aren't junk ads but relevant sponsorships from companies who are directly supporting DG. These companies should be encouraged and rewarded for their support of our favorite site. :-) "Latest Posts" on Home page Another great member suggestion led to this new feature on your "Home" page.  Now you can see the most recent posts, even if they aren't in forums or threads you're keeping tabs on.  It's a great way to keep up with all your DG friends and the goings-on,  without making every forum you're favorite, and trying to watch every thread.   And since your Home page is totally customizable, you can opt to move the "latest posts" to another spot or disable it, so your home page looks just the way you like. As always, we have more ideas and projects in the works, so be sure to check back here for more news! Daily news: Today's Dave's Garden Newsletter Today's PlantFiles Newsletter Today's BugFiles Newsletter Past DG Newsletters Anniversaries Past news: May 15, 2008 November 03, 2006 January 21, 2006 January 10, 2006 January 07, 2006 November 16, 2005 November 04, 2005 October 12, 2005 September 13, 2005 August 18, 2005 July 17, 2005 June 30, 2005 June 25, 2005