Show HN: Craigslist Notifications (Chrome Extension)

#1

Post by alexu » Fri, Mar 09, 2012, 11:08 PM UTC

Here is my last weekend project that turned into useful extension. Basic version (Chrome Extension) will always be free and I will try to make money charging for SMS notifications.

Show HN: Craigslist Notifications (Chrome Extension)
craigshunter.com

Re: Show HN: Craigslist Notifications (Chrome Extension)

#2

Post by jzawodn » Fri, Mar 09, 2012, 11:47 PM UTC

Cool. Want a job at craigslist? (I work on search there.)

Re: Show HN: Craigslist Notifications (Chrome Extension)

#3

Post by alexu » Fri, Mar 09, 2012, 11:55 PM UTC

jzawodn wrote: post #2

Cool. Want a job at craigslist? (I work on search there.)

It would be awesome, but I live in Seattle and don't want to move :(

Re: Show HN: Craigslist Notifications (Chrome Extension)

#4

Post by johnvey » Sat, Mar 10, 2012, 12:00 AM UTC

jzawodn wrote: post #2

Cool. Want a job at craigslist? (I work on search there.)

Is craigslist officially okay with this kind of app? Prior attempts to automate, with varying degrees of aggregation/automation, have been shut down (see: http://www.wired.com/entertainment/theweb/magazine/17-09/ff_...). The "SMS coming soon for $3.99" seems like it would not fly.

Re: Show HN: Craigslist Notifications (Chrome Extension)

#5

Post by jzawodn » Sat, Mar 10, 2012, 12:08 AM UTC

alexu wrote: post #3

jzawodn wrote: post #2

Cool. Want a job at craigslist? (I work on search there.)

It would be awesome, but I live in Seattle and don't want to move :(

Understood. It can't hurt to ask.

Re: Show HN: Craigslist Notifications (Chrome Extension)

#6

Post by [deleted] » Sat, Mar 10, 2012, 12:08 AM UTC

alexu wrote: post #3

jzawodn wrote: post #2

Cool. Want a job at craigslist? (I work on search there.)

It would be awesome, but I live in Seattle and don't want to move :(

[deleted]

Re: Show HN: Craigslist Notifications (Chrome Extension)

#7

Post by jzawodn » Sat, Mar 10, 2012, 12:09 AM UTC

johnvey wrote: post #4

jzawodn wrote: post #2

Cool. Want a job at craigslist? (I work on search there.)

Is craigslist officially okay with this kind of app? Prior attempts to automate, with varying degrees of aggregation/automation, have been shut down (see: http://www.wired.com/entertainment/theweb/magazine/17-09/ff_... ). The "SMS coming soon for $3.99" seems like it would not fly.

I am not a lawyer but I know where the TOS lives: http://www.craigslist.org/about/terms.of.use

Re: Show HN: Craigslist Notifications (Chrome Extension)

#8

Post by alexu » Sat, Mar 10, 2012, 12:19 AM UTC

johnvey wrote: post #4

jzawodn wrote: post #2

Cool. Want a job at craigslist? (I work on search there.)

Is craigslist officially okay with this kind of app? Prior attempts to automate, with varying degrees of aggregation/automation, have been shut down (see: http://www.wired.com/entertainment/theweb/magazine/17-09/ff_... ). The "SMS coming soon for $3.99" seems like it would not fly.

From what I understand, Craigslist is cool with client-side automation (look at numerous Android and iPhone apps that query Craigslist).

Re: Show HN: Craigslist Notifications (Chrome Extension)

#9

Post by encoderer » Sat, Mar 10, 2012, 12:29 AM UTC

If this thing does anything to de-dupe, it would be a must-have, would-pay-for-it app.

Trying to use Craigslist to find a new apartment means sifting through the same listings, posted day after day after day. They lower the signal/noise ratio a great deal.

Re: Show HN: Craigslist Notifications (Chrome Extension)

#10

Post by hansef » Sat, Mar 10, 2012, 12:30 AM UTC

alexu wrote: post #8

johnvey wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Is craigslist officially okay with this kind of app? Prior attempts to automate, with varying degrees of aggregation/automation, have been shut down (see: http://www.wired.com/entertainment/theweb/magazine/17-09/ff_... ). The "SMS coming soon for $3.99" seems like it would not fly.

From what I understand, Craigslist is cool with client-side automation (look at numerous Android and iPhone apps that query Craigslist).

I'm also working on a Chrome and Firefox extension which uses Craigslist as a data source, and this is my understanding as well

I think that rich client-side js apps packaged as browser extensions offer some interesting opportunities in general - being able to behave more like a normal client, instead of a giant aggregation host, allowing you to avoid angering services like Craigslist, being able to ask the user for permissions for increased localstorage limits (the default in most browsers is a measly 5mb) and the ability to do cross-domain ajax requests, etc.