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Technical Entrepreneur Profile - Craig Newmark: Geek chic? Screw it, I'm a nerd.: "Craig Newmark spent his high school years gazing into the CRT screen of an old IBM computer--tape on his glasses, pocket protector and all--and went on to earn an MS in Computer Science in 1977. After college he spent two years programming, then moved into less technical positions at IBM and then to Charles Schwab, where he was exposed to Mosaic and started evangelizing the Web. In 1995, he started Craigslist, an email list of cool events that grew to include notices of cars for sale, apartments for rent, and such. When his simple cc list grew beyond manageable proportions, Newmark created the Web site, charging only employers and landlords for listings. He didn't need seed money as he built 'a critical mass through persistence and commitment' funded by his technical consulting gigs. Now in 23 cities, Craigslist maintains both a for-profit and a non-profit entity, wins a staggering 480 million page views per month, and has even supplanted the Village Voice as the place for apartment listings in New York City.

My Name is Craig and I'm a Nerd

How does it feel to be on top of the geek chic heap with the Bay Area's largest collection of Bachelor of the Year nominations, invitations to the hippest San Francisco parties, and numerous awards?

'Geek chic? Screw it, I'm a nerd,' counters Newmark. 'A recovering nerd,' he amends, since 1972 when he took 'a very good small-group communication course in college. There, 'I had that little epiphany that it wasn't everyone else who had communications problems; it was me.'"

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