I have been a regular browser of craigslist.org as far back as 2001, way before the online ads site became notorious for those sex-solicitation advertisements and a related murder or two. Today, several attorneys general in the United States are circling the popular (notorious?) Web site like sharks a wounded sailor who got off a sinking ship.

Craigslist was founded by San Francisco Bay Area-based Craig Newman as an email distribution list for his friends and officemates. Today, the Web site has become one of the world’s 100 most popular online destinations. The online community offers its users a long list of features and services including online ads, opportunities for linking up online, and personals.

The site has also expanded to cover dozens of cities in North America and virtually the rest of the world. It even has nine pages dedicated to several regions and cities in the Philippines.

Craigslist is the biggest classifieds service in any medium. Although it is known more for media reports of “Craigslist sex murders,” the online community’s jobs wanted ads attract far more users than almost any of its other pages. And among its employment advertisements, the most popular are those for writers and editors. Watch out, however, for those nefarious scammers. Also, keep off those vultures that offer potential writers a dollar for every 500-word article you send them — if they would pay you at all.

PC Boom

Worldwide PC sales increased 20.7 percent, according to market research firm Gartner, or 22.4 percent based on IDC’s assessment, in the second quarter over a year ago. Gartner said 82.9 million units of PCs were sold during the quarter.

HP retained its market leadership post with 17.4 percent share of the market (down from 18.8 percent a year ago). HP’s year-over-year growth of 12.3 percent is way down below the market average of 20.7 percent.

Asia’s PC market powerhouses Acer, Asus, and Lenovo came up with amazing numbers for the quarter. Acer’s year-over-year growth of 31.6 percent allowed it to grab 13 percent of the market. Asus grabbed 5.2 percent of the market, aided by its stunning 78.5-percent growth. Lenovo, for its part, grew 47.2 percent, increasing its market share to 10 percent from the previous year’s 8.2 percent.
It seems like the PC market, as with the automobile industry, is fast becoming ruled by Asian companies.

Europe Spams

Europe has dislodged Asia the world’s leading source of email spam, and British spammers have played a big role in acquiring this dubious distinction for the Old World. IT security firm Sophos said the U.K. produced a major portion of the European spam. In fact, the country’s 4.6 percent share of world spam actually makes the British fourth overall worldwide.

Way to go, British spammers!

This means that more likely than not, those emails populating your inboxes and selling those Viagra and other erectile dysfunction drugs come from online cretins with stiff upper lips.

That’s all for the meantime, folks. Join me again next time as we keep on watching IT.