What do you guys class as good platforms and the platforms you avoid
The only platforms I activley avoid are guestbooks.
They are 100% link farms. They serve no other purpose.
"Please have my link if I say Hi"
Easy links but a waste of time really. Essp if you get too many.
Other than that, no such thing as a bad platform - just individual bad sites.
A link on a PR6 Wordpress blog is as good as a link of a private PR6 site
The only caveat is that content is getting more important. So content/texture links are the best here. (links in articles, WEB2,s etc) SO I would use Nuke or Demon to get those and GSA, Scrapejet or NHSEO to get the none content/context links.
One tool from each list, plus some captcha solving and a few proxies and you're good to go in just about any niche depending on how you use the tools.
Exception - Micro niche boys = essp in niches with a short shelf life of 9 months or less (fashion items, products that get regular upgrades, seasonals, etc)..might as well use Xrumer, by the time you get your site slapped..which normally happens sooner or later... you'll already have made your money and built 50 more sites anyway, just delete your site and build another. If you are in this group, then a good keyword finder is also essential.
For authority sites Nuke or Demon for content/context links
GSA,Scrapejet or NHSEO for diversity (GSA is the master of diversity here)
Scritty