Noe that it's the weekend, we are really going to see the **** hit the fan. And since the staff will take the weekend off from dealing with this problem despite it being a highly inappropriate time to do so, if they wait until Monday or Tuesday to listen to the community, by then it will be too late.

Allow me to post something I was going to make a topic about. These points are incomplete, and is based on rebutting arguments that I have seen from more than one admin.

"One of our reasons is to protect users from spammy links and viruses that members post"

Sorry, but this is not a valid argument.

1. There is a disclaimer ON YOUR OWN SITE that people click external links at their own risk, and that you are not responsible for for damages to the comp.
2. There are antivirus programs, firewalls, and browser security apps-- many of them free-- that prevent most of these viruses and malware.
3. Most importantly, as Ravyns stated, people have been getting Malware from the 3rd party ads on this site, and have been ever since last summer's relaunch.

"The other Marketplaces do it too" This claim is highly deceptive, and in Hivewire's case, only a half-truth.

1. Daz has a very lenient policy regarding freebie links. We have (or at least had until the latest site redesign) links to freebies collections for Cookie/Chip. The only restriction on freebie link collections is that they cannot be centered on an off-site vendor (e.g. list of free Evilinnocence clothing add-ons) Links to Renderosity and other MPs are allowed so long as they do not link directly to the marketplace.
2. RDNA also has freebie links-- though IIRC only for characters sold on their site and misc stuff (though I can't find the Cookie/Chip links at the moment). The same Cookie/Chip links to freebies list is reposted there. Unless I am mistaken, links to Renderosity and other MPs are allowed so long as they do not link directly to the marketplace.
3. In the case of Hivewire3D, this statement is half-true. They are pretty strict about off-site linking but still allow it. Generally the linked freebies have to be one's own, though, and can't link to a site with a marketplace such as Renderosity freestuff.