As an aspiring trader, I would really like it if I could carry equipment (weapons, batteries, etc.) just like other trade goods. Then I could sell them at different stations for a profit and even sell them to other players.

Non-traders would probably like this too, because you wouldn't have to leave things behind or sell at a loss when you upgrade your ship at a non-home station. (You could hand down parts from your A ship to your B ship.)

Similarly, it would be cool if some of the larger transport ships could be used to transport smaller craft. This could allow some cool commerce as well as meaning you don't have to leave a ship behind if you buy at a non-home station.

Lastly, it would be cool if you could sell ships and equipment to other players (but keep license restrictions on use). That way, someone could become an arms dealer, ship dealer, etc.

I can see it now... "Fly on over to Screwball's Slightly Scarred Ship Store and Exotic Equipment Emporium."

I definitely agree on the equipment aspect.

Transporting craft will probably have to wait until we have bigger ships. Maybe when they introduce cap ships they could also add corvettes; a transport corvette could possibly carry small ships (as cargo, of course, not as a launchable item).

Yeah, it seems that the ships we have now are too close in size (there is a size attribute on the "buy ship" menu).

However, a "ship-transport" that can hold, maybe 4 ships tops, would be kinda neat. Then you could not only be an arms dealer you could also be a tow-truck...

"Hi, I'm Hal, what seems to be the trouble?"
"Well, I accidentally blew up my battery..."
"How did you manage that?"
"I, um, accidentally jettisoned it, and then it ran into an asteroid. Then I accidentally fired a couple rockets at it..."
"Heh, silly newbies, I'll be there in a jiffy."
"Thank you. Um, is there a confidentiality agreement we could sign?"
"Heh heh, hell no, all the best stories are posted on our bulletin board for grading. This should get at least an 8."
"*sigh*"

I was just thinking along these lines the other day.......my problem was that I was getting my really good weapons at a station far from home, and as carrying weapons on weapons ports is the only way to transport them, any time my ship gets toasted I have to make a long haul to my "source" to get my kewl stuff. :) It would be nice if I could head on over to the cool station, stockpile plenty of high level weapons, then haul them back to some place closer to where I do botting, trading, my normal stuff. The buying/selling of weapons is an interesting idea too, hadn't really thought of that.

-Matt Bailey