AuctionBytes reporter and editor Ina Steiner is in Delaware covering the eBay versus Craigslist corporate governance trial. In addition to writing news stories and live-blogging, Ms. Steiner has been tweeting highlights of the courtroom proceedings in real-time for AuctionBytes.com using the micro-blogging site Twitter.

Much of the information revealed throughout the early days of the trial covers the period between the time eBay first approached Craigslist in 2004 to acquire shares from a disgruntled shareholder through the 3-year post-acquisition period known as the "courtship" - a time the two entities agreed eBay would woo Craigslist into allowing it to acquire full ownershp of the company.

Testimony in the trial has revealed some interesting information about eBay's inner workings, strategic thinking, and how much it paid for certain acquisitions, including the following:

• eBay paid roughly $300 million for Marketplaatz classifieds site in Netherlands in 2004.
• eBay acquired Spanish classified site LoQUo.com for "low double-digit millions" (site was many times larger than Craigslist).
• eBay paid $150 million for German classified site Mobile.de in April 2004.

eBay's Corporate Development team used the code word "Kringle" to refer to Craigslist when discussing the possible acquisition of 28% of the online classifieds site in 2004. The team called eBay "Clause" (or perhaps Klaus). Code words were used for all of eBay's classifieds acquisitions in order to protect the confidentiality of the negotiations.

Keep up with full developments from the trial by following AuctionBytes on Twitter.