from nynewcomer.net, October 26, 2003

Craig's List
By Staff

Online resource spanning several cities.

Craig Newmark is your friend, even if you don't know it yet. If you're new to New York, San Francisco, Chicago, or any one of over a dozen other cities, then he's your best friend.

Here's why: Newmark put together a no frills online community way back in the internet stone-age of 1995 that has evolved into one of the most vigorously used web communities -- anywhere. We've looked and can't find a single, successful like-minded site with the variety, scope and extent of Craig's List. The amount of raw data, segregated by city (metropolitan areas in the US, Canada and England), available on Craig's site is staggering. Every aspect of living, culture, work, etc is represented here. Looking for a job? There are over two dozen professions represented on the job board. Need a place to live? Search through the Craig's List database among categories that range from shared housing to real estate for sale. The site even has resources for those looking for the most elusive commodity of all -- love (women seeking men, men seeking women, and all other iterations thereof).

The interface of Craig's List is direct and raw. There are no frills here, and there shouldn't be. Users of Craig's site want information without eye candy. They don't want to fiddle around with complicated search routines. Within seconds of clicking through to Craig's List, one can find a posting on just about any conceivable subject germane to ones local community.

One can use this site to find a job and a place to live -- of that we have personal and direct evidence. Once you're set up with shelter and a few bucks in your pocket, Craig's site offers other diversions. The community forum lists postings announcing events, advertising grass-roots movements, and a general section with information in the just for the Hell of it category.

If you're un(lucky) enough to land an office job, or you've got a lot of spare time on your hands, you may wish to travel the path that leads into twin hearts of darkness, the Missed Connections and Rants and Raves sections. Editor's note: Only do this is you have a LOT of spare time on your hands.

There's more to Craig's List than can be adequately described in a brief overview. We feel confident that any new comer to New York will both delight in the web site, and like us, come to thank Craig Newmark profusely for his unassuming, invaluable site.