Thoughts on the trust web:

1. Make the self-certification mean something. If I don't think I deserve to be more than an Apprentice, I set myself as such, and no amount of further certification can bump me up.
2. Make users semi-accountable for their certifications. Perhaps add a contingency that an attack by someone you certified would affect your own level(slightly, or maybe temporarily?). Not sure.
3. Everyone should be the root node of their own trust web. Sadly, this is _far_ beyond the scope of Advogato. For future designs it might be worth considering.
4. make new users more accesible to those who can certify them. perhaps a "still uncertified after xx days" listing?

Just some rambling.