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Checking possible domains for registration? Watch out!
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Yonzie
Mac Mini Maniac
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
 
2008-01-08, 22:10

As you may know, some people register domains, make a page on them, then ditch them after a few days if they don't get enough visitors. This is called domain tasting and is essentially free.
It seems Network Solutions (the registrar, previous manager of .com/.net/.org) has taken this to a new level.
If you check a domain on their website, they register it. Now, you can only buy the domain from them. After the 5-day grace period, they drop it. If you check a domain on their website, they hold it hostage for a few days, in the case that you might actually want to buy it.

http://www.domainnamenews.com/featur...-searches/1359

Converted 07/2005.
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scratt
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: M-F: Thailand Weekends : F1 2010 - Various Tracks!
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2008-01-08, 22:17

I never knew about domain tasting.. And if that is what this is all about I have less of a problem with it.. At the end of the day you are taking advantage of a service Network Solutions provide..

I thought they were simply grabbing anything you *searched for*, something GoDaddy was accused of some time ago.. In that case I have a problem with it, but not one I can really argue, as if you use a certain registrar to search then I am presuming they are probably the one you are going to buy it through.. I don't go to Easy Buy to look at Apple stuff. I go to Apple. And as such I am happy if they hold stock on my behalf. When you look at it that way I find it hard to even have a problem with that practice, which is arguably more sinister than what you describe Network Solutions are doing, IMHO.

'Remember, measure life by the moments that take your breath away, not by how many breaths you take'
Extreme Sports Cafe | ESC's blog | scratt's blog | @thescratt
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torifile
Less than Stellar Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Durham, NC
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2008-01-08, 22:55

http://www.youguysseriouslyregistere...ngisearch.com/
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torifile
Less than Stellar Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Durham, NC
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2008-01-08, 22:58

This is ridiculous. http://fckyounetworksolutions.com/

I just searched that like 3 minutes ago.
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scratt
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Join Date: Jul 2004
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2008-01-08, 23:16

I am curious.. What is the problem with this?

Or is it perhaps a function of the 'tasting scheme' that they have to grab it on a sale or return basis?

I am all for conspiracy theories, but find it hard to get worked up about this.

btw the first URL you put up does not exist. Is it possible that it was de-registered again already?

'Remember, measure life by the moments that take your breath away, not by how many breaths you take'
Extreme Sports Cafe | ESC's blog | scratt's blog | @thescratt
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PKIDelirium
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
 
2008-01-08, 23:22

They both go to a Network Solutions holding page for me.
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turtle
Lord of the Rant.
Formerly turtle2472
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Upstate South Carolina
 
2008-01-08, 23:23

It would force you to buy from them rather than the lowest bidder. If they hold the name then they have your money if you want that name.
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Brad
Selfish Heathen
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Zone of Pain
 
2008-01-08, 23:24

Quote:
Originally Posted by scratt View Post
I am curious.. What is the problem with this?
The problem is that if I want to register the domain with a different registrar, now I can't because Network Solutions possesses it.

Quote:
Originally Posted by scratt View Post
Or is it perhaps a function of the 'tasting scheme' that they have to grab it on a sale or return basis?
There is zero reason for the registrar to take control of the domain upon search... other than pure unadulterated greed... and being a royal asshole.

The quality of this board depends on the quality of the posts. The only way to guarantee thoughtful, informative discussion is to write thoughtful, informative posts. AppleNova is not a real-time chat forum. You have time to compose messages and edit them before and after posting.
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scratt
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
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2008-01-08, 23:52

I guess so... Having read the article I can see that they are taking advantage of a loophole in the regs that ICANN has not nailed down yet, and as I suspected they are using the same 5 day grace period that is used in the 'domain tasting' scheme.

It's not quite sharp practice, but it's certainly ungentlemanly.

Are they actually inflating these prices like premium number plates or something? Or are we talking about a few $$s here?

I suppose it's just the thin end of the wedge, but I'd far rather see some telecoms or banks taken to task over their fees and practices than waste time on this.. Just my 2c.

'Remember, measure life by the moments that take your breath away, not by how many breaths you take'
Extreme Sports Cafe | ESC's blog | scratt's blog | @thescratt
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scratt
Veteran Member
 
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2008-01-08, 23:53

Quote:
Originally Posted by torifile View Post
Has someone actually bought that one now? Good grief!
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PKIDelirium
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
 
2008-01-09, 00:03

http://networksolutionssucksass.com/

Searched 30 seconds ago. Already held.
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scratt
Veteran Member
 
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2008-01-09, 00:15

But I can still get it through GoDaddy. It shows as available.

Am I missing something here?
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autodata
hustlin
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2008-01-09, 01:00

Quote:
Originally Posted by scratt View Post
But I can still get it through GoDaddy. It shows as available.

Am I missing something here?
Just because godaddy doesn't have a record of it being registered doesn't mean it's available. If it's registered elsewhere, godaddy will send a notice saying they will retry and give you a refund if they still can't get it. If it's a new registration this is fairly common. In this case it was registered today:

http://whois.domaintools.com/youguys...ingisearch.com
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scratt
Veteran Member
 
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2008-01-09, 01:27

So is it somehow different from one of my own domains?
When I enquire about those at GoDaddy it tells me they are not available.
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autodata
hustlin
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2008-01-09, 01:52

They are new registrations. Takes time for the change to spread to all the DNS servers. Anyway, godaddy now reports them as registered.
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scratt
Veteran Member
 
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2008-01-09, 01:58

Fair enough.. I've been moving servers recently and noticed that GoDaddy updates within a couple of minutes (even for us out here in the boonies), so when it was not showing I wondered if perhaps these domains were in some kind of limbo, where other registrars could perhaps grab them still.

So does this only happen if you go to Network Solutions to do the search?

If so the solution seems simple. Boycott them.

'Remember, measure life by the moments that take your breath away, not by how many breaths you take'
Extreme Sports Cafe | ESC's blog | scratt's blog | @thescratt
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autodata
hustlin
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2008-01-09, 01:59

FWIW, they've reportedly released a statement saying they are doing it to combat tasters:

http://www.circleid.com/posts/81082_...front_running/

This would make sense. Still requires further investigation, though.
Quote:
Originally Posted by scratt View Post
So does this only happen if you go to Network Solutions to do the search?
There are so many ways tasters work it's just disturbing. You aren't really safe anywhere you go.
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Yonzie
Mac Mini Maniac
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
 
2008-01-09, 08:50

Quote:
Originally Posted by autodata View Post
FWIW, they've reportedly released a statement saying they are doing it to combat tasters:
But it's bullshit since the domains people searched for above (like networksolutionssucksass.com) is still available to everyone, but only from Network Solutions. If you search for the domain, I can come by and buy it 5 minutes later, but only from them.

What Network Solutions does is use domain searches to build a constant pool of domains that are only available from them. It's a bit like tasting (where people just put up an ad-filled page) only they do it to monopolize the popular domains that are often searched for, but somehow unregistered.

Converted 07/2005.
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Mugge
Thunderbolt, fuck yeah!
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Denmark
 
2008-01-09, 09:09

Ok. I've got another word for this:

Cybersquatting!

Seriously. There's no need to invent new and more edible terms for abuse like that.

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autodata
hustlin
 
Join Date: May 2004
 
2008-01-09, 10:13

Quote:
Originally Posted by Yonzie View Post
But it's bullshit since the domains people searched for above (like networksolutionssucksass.com) is still available to everyone, but only from Network Solutions. If you search for the domain, I can come by and buy it 5 minutes later, but only from them.

What Network Solutions does is use domain searches to build a constant pool of domains that are only available from them. It's a bit like tasting (where people just put up an ad-filled page) only they do it to monopolize the popular domains that are often searched for, but somehow unregistered.
Good call.
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Moogs
Hates the Infotainment
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: NSA Archives
 
2008-01-09, 10:26

Quote:
Originally Posted by torifile View Post
This is ridiculous. http://fckyounetworksolutions.com/

I just searched that like 3 minutes ago.

FUBAR... BUT... I sense there is a way to stop this practice very quickly. Remember when Google-wacking was a big deal? New sport: NSI-wacking.

Here's my entry. Everyone join in the fun!

http://networksolutionsblowsgoats.com/





...into the light of a dark black night.
  quote
Banana
is the next Chiquita
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
 
2008-01-09, 11:46

Out of curiosity- can I bypass registars and register a domain directly with ICANN or whoever is running the racket distribution of IP addresses?
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Moogs
Hates the Infotainment
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: NSA Archives
 
2008-01-09, 13:51

Not sure about that but FWIW I've never heard of anyone doing that and I've done a moderate amount of professional web design at different times in my career. Most people just register via their host. Whether the hosts (other than NSI and "Registrar first" companies) can go to ICANN directly, I have no idea.

...into the light of a dark black night.
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PKIDelirium
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
 
2008-01-09, 14:24

Quote:
Originally Posted by torifile View Post
Someone's bought it now.

Edit: Hmm. That's a squatter page. I wonder if this practice leads to the domains falling to squatters who put backorders on registered names?
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scratt
Veteran Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: M-F: Thailand Weekends : F1 2010 - Various Tracks!
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2008-01-09, 21:40

I guess another solution is to simply stop tasting.. I did not realise that is what a lot of those spoof search pages full of junk actually are.. Surely that in itself is enough to justify killing the whole thing.

'Remember, measure life by the moments that take your breath away, not by how many breaths you take'
Extreme Sports Cafe | ESC's blog | scratt's blog | @thescratt
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