Craigslist.org |
Craig
Newmark created San Francisco's most recognized online community with
an intention so simple that he doesn't even remember the date he launched
Craigslist,
which now logs a million visitors per month. "Some time in 1995," Craigslist.org
became the City's online outpost, a platform says Craig, "where people
can get a break." If you're looking for a job, a ride, a place to live,
someone with whom to play the harmonica (or bass, or theremin for that
matter), a nanny, stuff, a place to sell your stuff, or a date, Craigslist
is for you. Craig, who founded the web site from his Cole Valley apartment,
is one of few survivors of the dot com gold rush. Before starting Craigslist,
the 49 year old self described nerd was doing programming on a contract
basis. "There used to be a lot of work doing that," he deadpans. Today,
Craig is a reluctant celebrity. He says he had no clue the site would become
so successful. "It's surreal," Craig says, "But that's okay; our lives
in San Francisco are surreal and absurd." He was featured on Mornings on
2 as one of the City's most eligible bachelors, one of many media appearances
including the Today show. Craig didn't get a date from the local show but
jests that Katie Couric was "all hands." Craig is disarmingly funny for
someone who claims to lack basic social skills. On April 1, 2001, Craigslist
issued a press release "admitting" there was no Craig in Craigslist, and
that Newmark was a fictional character. Local scribes might be a little
wary the next time April Fool's Day comes around. |