changes to craigslist

The recent changes to craigslist go a long way toward making automated posting on craigslist difficult - and it's about time. craigslists reasons for waiting so long are beyond my mere mortal understanding ... but after a long battle with spammers they've finally delivered a crucial blow by employing their own technology, improved :: and a cease and desist order via snail mail addressed to Joshua McClure :: who apparently finds solace from his legal issues by living in some remote top secret lair located in {PANAMA|"BEAUTIFUL PANAMA ... "} :: Not to be outdone by common sense, Joshua McClure of Troopal Strategies not only ignores craiglist's cease and desist order, he also raises the price to use his craigslist auto poster. This is such a problem on so many levels. His near sociopathic stupidity coupled with greed {while interesting on a sociological and psychological level...these things just can't be covered on a whole farm of blogs; ever.}

Anywho, back on topic.

The following overview of craigslist's recent changes is in no way intended be conclusive, nor do I claim to be an expert - and since my writing is often just rambling, this "article" may require several major edits before the spammer's dust settles. The following are observations and not gospel. Your observation may vary somewhat from my own. Please feel free to post a comment to the contrary regarding this information. I don't mind being wrong.

Changes on craigslist that may affect you:

Phone verification and phone verified accounts

In an effort to make craigslist appear to be a cleaner place to live for its regular users — kudos to craigslist for giving every lady of the evening {his|her} own section, away from the curious eyes of minors — craigslist is once again targeting redudant postings—this time by implementing its own technology, much improved, to limit mass auto-posting activity: by targeting geographic location. Several weeks ago a craigslist user could sit at his or her computer in New York and place an ad all the way to Los Angeles.

That's over. Probably for good.

If you attempt to post an ad outside of your own local area, look out for a big change. Instead of seeing that familiar "Thanks for posting, we really appreciate it!" {especially if you're a hooker posting in one of our paid sections!} When attempting to post outside a newly set geographic range, craigslist users are now being rerouted to a new screen, and then asked to set up a phone verified account. This serves two purposes: it shaves off pages and pages of redundant postings—which is a really good thing—and it corrals users back into their own local area. This may or may not be a good thing for all. Time will tell.

So far, most regular users don't seem to mind the minor inconvenience of being asked to reverify...about once a month (that's right, be prepared to be asked to reverify your craigslist account routinely) Difficulty associated with reverifying for the first time: you may run into a problem if the phone number you originally used to verify the account is no longer in service. Most users can simply reverify and then happily post where they left off. Those regular users who experience a problem with this recent change may have a little wait while craigslist takes care of the problem.

These recent changes on craigslist may also affect regular craigslist users who are posting locally; realtors, leasing agents and sellers of goods who post a smaller but still significant number of ads. If you fit into this category then please leave a comment. I would love find out how you're doing.

Geographic limitations aka "GEO"

As stated above, an example of the effects of craigslist's recent changes regarding geographic limitation: if you live in New York, and you're going to visit, or move to, Los Angeles, and you want to place an ad in Los Angeles ahead of time ... well you may experience a new twist: you may find yourself being asked to verify your craigslist account, again, or for the very first time.

The request by craiglist to please verify your account is a result of a geographical location filter and one of craigslist's recent changes put in place in order primarily to prevent mass postings produced by craigslist auto posters. It does appear that this recent algorithmic change is designed to combat those using any form of automated craigslist software, without causing too much trouble for its regular craigslist users.

The changes are not without quirks. Please note: while one day you may be able to post your ad nationwide using a non phone verified account, the next time you try to post nationwide you might just experience this geographical limitation. You may even be asked to verify your craigslist account if you're posting locally. These recent changes on craigslist do not affect all regular users of craigslist in the same way every time, but overall: if you post more than craigslist's TOU allows then you're bound to run into this new change sooner than later. These changes are a perfect example of "results may vary" and your own personal experience with these new geographic limitations will vary based on parameters that (craigslist decides best serve their regular users; no one really knows what those are specifically.)

Speculation: the strength of their new and improved filters is said to be affecting different categories to some degree and others to greater degree, i.e., craigslist's jobs categories may be more difficult to successfully post on after these changes than in the real estate categories.

Regular users should not be affected too much because these changes are aimed at your ability to post outside set geographic areas only; most regular users of craigslist post only locally.

But if you're considering automating your craigslist postings? There is a big but coming: This is not good news for you, the perspective buyer, if you are thinking of buying and using craigslist automated marketing software. Posting on craigslist has become very cost prohibitive with phone verified accounts now being sold at astronomical prices ranging between $5 to $10 dollars each. That's bad news for spammers and not so bad news for legitimate users and business people who rely on craigslist nationwide.

Now back off topic—it's probably needless to say the recent changes on craigslist are very bad news also for Troopal Strategies Joshua McClure, Joshua McClure or his marketing campaign, and his bottom line. In what appears to be a get-whatever-out-of-it-he-can-and-fast in the race against time and litigation: he has raised the price to use his software. Be aware that if you decide to do business with Joshua McClure and purchase his craiglist marketing software ... in addition to giving a man of very questionable ethics your hard earned money - not only do you run the risk of having all of your customer information compromised - you stand to also experience Joshua McMclure's own special technological implementation: anti piracy measures. What this means is that, in order for the Pirate to prevent his software from being pirated by other pirates - your poster will go through a series of relentless pinging from your computer to his server before each post. This can be time consuming and certainly very counterproductive if and when the server your new craigslist poster connects to goes down or experiences network congestion, or when and if Troopal decides to manually shut down their server to update their anti piracy measures. Be aware: this is often.

Overall, be aware that posting on craigslist after the recent changes to craigslist with any form of a craigslist auto poster has become a very cost prohibitive business...and for a lot of people, a royal pain in the rear.

{OH WELL|END TRANSMISSION}