So, craigslist experiences some blowback..

[Tony_SS]

The short story is that there was a site called Craiglook. It was great, you could type in your zip code and it would search ALL of craigslist based solely on your zipcode. This was great for me, since I live in a rural area, I could search 5-10 miles away for things I needed.



So then, craigslist sent a nasty letter to craiglook, demanding they shut down for infringing their rights and so on, even though Craiglook only search CACHED rss feeds, it did not tax their servers at all. It actually brought them more users! But they shut down, people went nuts and complained to craigslist.

Now Craiglook has changed their site. Its http://claz.org/ and its now a free classified site and a very strong competitor to craigslist. I hope they really take off.. the search engine is amazing, something craigslist has always lacked.

So for those who like to buy other peoples junk or hard to find car parts, check it out!

[dropit69]

Thanks like i really needed more sites to buy stuff..lol..also try www.backpage.com its like craigslist..

[WS6]

does claz have an adult services section? I really need a message.

[novaderrik]

does claz have an adult services section? I really need a message.

i could send you a private message if you really want one that bad..
i think i'll go on Craigslist and find someone to give me a massage first..

[79-TA]

Thanks for the heads up! Now I have yet another venue to find cars to buy . . . and throw money at. Yea, I'm blaming you when I'm broke.

[Tony_SS]

Thanks like i really needed more sites to buy stuff..lol..also try www.backpage.com its like craigslist..

claz already searches backpage. It also searches the ebay free classifieds.

does claz have an adult services section? I really need a message.

I wouldn't know.. I have a wife for that! Try your local Tokyo sauna.

[wmhjr]

Tony, it's probably not what you want to hear, but I can understand why CL would be concerned about craiglook operating the way they were. It really isn't whether or not craiglook was running queries directly against CL databases. It's probably more of a concern that it takes people away from the CL UI, which means that should CL ever decide to modify their operating model and get revenue from page based ads, craiglook undermines that. That means that in terms of company value, craiglook reduced the value of their product. CL is a for profit company, 25% owned by eBay. It's pretty hard to blame CL for wanting to protect their UI. Not saying I necessarily agree with them, but it's their company and their data.

[WS6]

claz already searches backpage. It also searches the ebay free classifieds.



I wouldn't know.. I have a wife for that! Try your local Tokyo sauna.

Well, I just moved to Pampa Texas and my initial drive around town this morning has me thinking I just made a mistake, lol. I doubt there's even a sauna in this town.

And holy crap I suck at spelling. Message, Ha!

[Nessumsar]

There's also www.Searchtempest.com

[T_Raven]

I use to use craiglook all the time. I was pissed when it changed to claz.org. If craigslist would let you search a distance range in the first place I never would've needed craiglook. I live in the middle of no where and I'm willing to pay shipping or go get what I want, so I like to look nationwide.

[WS6]

I think CL would be foolish to not look at what brought people over to craiglook and then try and incorporate that into their website. I think that would be a smart move. I consider the people over at CL to be fairly bright people so I would expect it in the future.

[Flash68]

Jaxed is a good craiglist search engine for auto related stuff.

[Tony_SS]

Tony, it's probably not what you want to hear, but I can understand why CL would be concerned about craiglook operating the way they were. It really isn't whether or not craiglook was running queries directly against CL databases. It's probably more of a concern that it takes people away from the CL UI, which means that should CL ever decide to modify their operating model and get revenue from page based ads, craiglook undermines that. That means that in terms of company value, craiglook reduced the value of their product. CL is a for profit company, 25% owned by eBay. It's pretty hard to blame CL for wanting to protect their UI. Not saying I necessarily agree with them, but it's their company and their data.

What do you mean by 'UI'? I don't know what craigslist was claiming.. and I'm not sure how they were violated, search engines do this all the time. Craiglook was doing just that? But it sound like Craiglook folded under a bluff and became Claz. So now craiglist and ebay have more competition and users - and that's fine by me. Options are a good thing.

Well, I just moved to Pampa Texas and my initial drive around town this morning has me thinking I just made a mistake, lol. I doubt there's even a sauna in this town.

Pampa!? I thought you moved to Colorado?

There's also www.Searchtempest.com

Yes, they are good too. What confuses me is that they are still up and Craiglook is not.

I use to use craiglook all the time. I was pissed when it changed to claz.org. If craigslist would let you search a distance range in the first place I never would've needed craiglook. I live in the middle of no where and I'm willing to pay shipping or go get what I want, so I like to look nationwide.

Same here man! Don't hold your breath... they made it clear the craigslist is a LOCAL only thing. I don't see their search improving. I hope it does though.

I think CL would be foolish to not look at what brought people over to craiglook and then try and incorporate that into their website. I think that would be a smart move. I consider the people over at CL to be fairly bright people so I would expect it in the future.

That was my understanding too... why on earth would you not want that traffic? Unless of course Ebay pulled some strings.. it directly cuts in on their action, not craigslist.

[wmhjr]

What do you mean by 'UI'? I don't know what craigslist was claiming.. and I'm not sure how they were violated, search engines do this all the time. Craiglook was doing just that? But it sound like Craiglook folded under a bluff and became Claz. So now craiglist and ebay have more competition and users - and that's fine by me. Options are a good thing.

"UI" means user interface. I'm very sure that there are patent implications and just like with college teams having to deal with high schools as well as actual licensing pirates to defend their intellectual property, CL has to look out for their own product. If they allow some organizations to violate their intellectual property they find themselves at risk of not being to enforce it in other instances. Search engines look for metadata matches. This is completely different. This other company us specifically searching for content of a privately owned company with a patent protected product (there is an amount of assumption there) and returning content only from that provider. It makes no difference if they gather that data from RSS feeds rather that directly from CL infrastructure. CL apparently feels that the content is their property, and I can understand how they would believe that it's what makes their product valuable. CL can make the argument that the other company is using CL technology without license. I would not be so certain that the letter was a "bluff". It's hard to say. The point is that unless you are familiar with patent law around information technology products, I wouldn't be so certain.

[Tony_SS]

I might believe that if craigslist tried to enforce their claims consistently. Like mentioned, there are other craigslist 'search' sites that do the same, exact thing - yet they are still operating. Maybe they didn't cave into their threats.

If we apply that logic, then any lawyer could sue any search engine for searching cached RSS files.

[79-TA]

Craiglook was better known and so it was taken down first. That's a result of both being more visible and greater potential threat in whatever capacities already discussed. The precedent has been set; Seachtempest is still under the radar.

Jon, thanks for the tip on search tempest!

[wmhjr]

I might believe that if craigslist tried to enforce their claims consistently. Like mentioned, there are other craigslist 'search' sites that do the same, exact thing - yet they are still operating. Maybe they didn't cave into their threats.

If we apply that logic, then any lawyer could sue any search engine for searching cached RSS files.

I really don't know what's going on behind the scenes. We're all making guesses. But remember that CL likely has patents - and has been adament that they want to stay "local". It's part of their "brand identity". They have actively opposed "non-local" CL use. So, like I said I can understand the reasoning behind some of what they're doing. Nor do either of us have a strong understanding of IT patent law, though I'm relatively familiar at a general level due to my current job. Whether you or I believe it doesn't change the fact that neither of us really knows exactly what patents they have, exactly how they felt that a particular company was violating it, and how it potentially impacts their product. Remember - all they have is their product, and their product is information entered by users. The bottom line is that it's their data. They have a right to try and protect it to suit their needs.

[DEIGuy38]

Craiglook was great. Maybe someone watched that movie Social Network and got all butthurt so CL decided to shut down craiglook.

[donaz]

I liked using Craiglook and getting daily e-mail notifications of new listings. Claz sends out e-mail notifications of listings it seems from everywhere except Craigslist. Without searching all the "search all craigslist" sites has anyone found a good one comparible to Craiglook that actually sends e-mail from CL listings?

[TonyL]

you guys need to use Crazedlist.org also. You can search all of the region you are interested in, all on one page. It's very good, you do have to change the "referrer" settings in firefox or chrome, but its easy and tells you how to do this. I HIGHLY recommend that site.