Web 2.0: Craig et al
: Craig Newmark of Craig’s List comes out with his CEO, Jim Buckmaster. “I’m going to be spokesmodel to exploit my George Costanza-like glamour.”
Buckmaster says it’s a site where people “ask Craig to help them with their everyday lives.” He also said it’s “the ultimate newcomers’ guide.”
Craig stands next to Buckmaster… on a milk carton.
They’ve hired their first PR person.
He introduces Craig: “The topic of our talk tonight is something about nerd values and speaking of nerds….”
A simple screen (html, no powerpoint) says:
lessons learned
: nerd values, the golden rule, a culture of trust
: a public commons, community of self-moderation, extreme user-centrism
: the ironies of unbranding, demonetizing & uncompeting
: social capital – the importance of user success sories
: appropriate technology and other lesons from open source
: a litmus test of light-weight business models
: stepping off the treadmill of internet time
Buckmaster: “users run the site for us.”
They are charming, easygoing, droning, nerdy, unassuming guys. And they are doublehandedly revolutionizing an industry — namely, the local advertising industry, aka newspapering.