Gadgetell | Tech News, Reviews, and Interesting Things

Craigslist launched its official blog several days ago, giving itself a new way to reach out to users, other than through founder Craig Newmark’s own personal web site. Basically, it’s a stripped down version of a blog with a very minimalist design, rudimentary comment system, and it doesn’t even have its own RSS feed. Now this event in itself would’ve been news-worthy right off the bat, but something else in relation to this is happening at the same time in the Interwebs, and causing CL quite a hassle.

This “something else” is the existence of an unofficial Craigslist blog, called CraigslistBlog.org, which recently added the moniker “unofficial” at the end of its name to appease CL CEO Jim Buckmaster’s pleas. Here’s an excerpt of the short email exchange between CL CEO and CraigslistBlog.org webmaster, Tim.

Jim: “We need you to stop using the infringing domain CRAIGSLISTBLOG.ORG immediately, and arrange for transfer of it to us asap…”
Tim: “Thanks for your message. I think you have received bad legal counsel and that this is potentially a really bad PR move for cl.”

Unfortunately for CL, the unofficial blog won’t back down. And although this is not the first time a third-party has tried to chronicle the latest updates about a famous personality/company online, CL seemed bent on trying to drive the unofficial blog out of the game, at least at first. The good news is that Buckmaster has finally come to his senses, admitting to self-defeat in a post on their official blog.

At this point, it’s hard to say just where CL’s latest move is headed. So they launched an official blog, but any problogger would know at first glance that what they have so far isn’t even half of one. I think Craigslist could learn a thing or two from Wordpress. Or Blogger. Or Tumblr. Or…

Via [TechCrunch]