CraigsWatch FAQ

I googled on "craigslist search tool" and found a confusing mess of products that appear to do roughly similar things as CraigsWatch. Why should I try your software? - That confusing mess was what prompted us to offer CraigsWatch for public use after we'd been using a similar version of it personally for some time. Many of those other apps are web-based and we didn't like the idea of saving our information on unknown hosts. Many are "adware," popping up blurbs during their use or inserting ads into their alert messages. Some required the PC to be logged in with the application running at all times. And most importantly, none were as reliable and easy to use as CraigsWatch.
Do I need to leave my PC logged in with CraigsWatch running for my searches to run? - No. CraigsWatch uses the Windows Task Scheduler to run a background agent as often as you specify. Your machine can be logged out or even "sleeping", and no additional services are left running.
Will I receive the same alerts over and over every time the search agent runs? - No. CraigsWatch tracks previous finds and will only alert you when a new posting appears.
Doesn't craigslist frown on this sort of thing? — The fine folks at craigslist have objected to online web engines that allow people to search a great number of cities for similar listings.Their argument is that this detracts from their goal to create geographically localized online communities. We fully support this goal. Our intention is only to provide users with a rapid "heads-up" when the local listing they've been waiting for is posted.
Does CraigsWatch work for locations outside the USA? - Sorry, not at this time. Search parameters are only supported for craigslist boards within the United States.
Is CraigsWatch "freeware?" - Yes. You are free to use CraigsWatch as you see fit. However, you'd make my day if you made a donation to support my efforts or only to defray my costs. Do so here!

What Operating Systems will CraigsWatch run on? - CraigsWatch was written to run on Windows XP. However, it runs just fine on Vista and Windows 7 with a few extra steps (see our help page). Native Vista/7 support is in the works.
I noticed some of the shareware site download links on your site actually lead back to your own download page. What's going on? - Several shareware sites also distribute CraigsWatch for us in exchange for us placing their logo on our page. However, the version they hold for download is often woefully out of date from the latest available here. Once you've made it as far as this page, your best bet for the latest version of CraigsWatch is here.
Can I configure CraigsWatch to alert me of new listings on my mobile device? - CraigsWatch currently only supports email alerts. However, most mobile devices have some capacity for receiving SMTP emails. If your device has an email address, CraigsWatch can reach you there.
Can I export my CraigsWatch settings from one PC to another? - Yes. Instructions for doing so are available on our support page.
Can I use CraigsWatch to run complex Boolean searches on craigslist? - You can enter anything into CraigsWatch for keywords to include and exclude that you would into those fields on craigslist. For example, the "|" and "++" flags serve as OR and AND operators (you can also precede any term with an apostophre for an OR). Google on "craigslist boolean" for tips on best searching craigslist.
I have a technical question about CraigsWatch? - See our online help page.