so, which do you choose? i normaly choose the trader, but i was just curious as to what other people choose. so what and why?

I chose the trader too but that was because most of the villagers wanted a trader.

the trader becuse you can steal the ebony and sell it there for good old money

I'm choosing the Smith because he can repair my things. Even if he can't buy anything, I have enough cash like that (almost 10 M no cheating , kepp killing high ordinators in tribunal )

Definately The Trader. Simply because he has more money to buy items off you with, and you can sell a larger range of items at a trader than what you can at a smith.

I usually choose the trader, but going with the smith would probably be better on the Rpings side of things. A trader can help you, a smith can help the colony! They will no longer have to send there tools to the mainland to be repaired, damaged items will be working quicker, so the mines will have increased effiency, creating more drakes for shareholders. With the extra money you could invest in increasing the colony. It would be easier to create farms and such with an already established colony, since you will have reduced threat from the animals which already stay away from the colony. The Dock is already there, so exporting goods will be easy. If there were not enough space for the ships, then you could increase the docks, and with an increased dock you could give tours around the island, to would be adventurers, and sight seerers. They could be shown the site of the great ice Caste! The wilderness creatures of the north will be an amazing sight for the otherwise bored peasents. If the need arises, you could hire Crack guards and give tours inland, taking the tourists, both dark elf, Nord, and the historian on pilgrimages to great battles which occured between mer and men. Soon the colony will be thriving. Always expanding, always profiting. The woods created from clearing the forest could be sold to the natives of the island, or exported to the otherwise, lumberless morrowind. Many peasents and nobles alike may move to the colony after seeing the sights of solstheim. If no jobs are available, they can use the exxes wood to create souveners, and sell them to the tourists. Soon the colony will be huge. Maybe stretching all the way to castle Ravenhold. So they could save on costs on guarding the site. The colony may become so well known,that the Emperor of all Tamriel may visit. A huge statue could be erected, sightseerers from all over tamriel will come to the spot, where the emperor did some heroic deed. Possibly saving the colony from certain doom, with nothing but his bare hands.

or not.

I always go with the trader, because that would make him the only trader on the whole of the island.

There are smiths at Fort Frostmoth, Thirsk, and the Skaal village. but no traders.

A trader is needed more, therefore I always choose trader.

For me, it really depends on what character I'm playing at the time. On my current character my house is a burrow very close to Raven Rock, so I chose a smith, because I needed someone to repair my items.