Mistress of my domain

[marlene]

One of my domain registrations expires soon, and I am debating whether to renew it with Network Solutions (probably the most expensive, but I've always used them) or with one of the cheaper purveyors of domain registrations.

Does it really make much difference? AFAIK, the cheaper company I am considering also offers private registration (so my contact information doesn't show up in Whois), which I now have through Network Solutions and is essential.

mxh

[annc]

One of my domain registrations expires soon, and I am debating whether to renew it with Network Solutions (probably the most expensive, but I've always used them) or with one of the cheaper purveyors of domain registrations.

Does it really make much difference? AFAIK, the cheaper company I am considering also offers private registration (so my contact information doesn't show up in Whois), which I now have through Network Solutions and is essential.
I'v got a couple registered with GoDaddy, and am happy with their service so far.

[marlene]

Do you have private registrations?

mxh

[Anne Wright]

Marlene, I've registered several domain names through GoDaddy with no problems. Some are private reigstration and there has been no problem with that feature, either.
Anne

[ktinkel]

One of my domain registrations expires soon, and I am debating whether to renew it with Network Solutions (probably the most expensive, but I've always used them) or with one of the cheaper purveyors of domain registrations.

Does it really make much difference? AFAIK, the cheaper company I am considering also offers private registration (so my contact information doesn't show up in Whois), which I now have through Network Solutions and is essential.I registered a domain with GoDaddy about 5 months ago. When two others came up for renewal last month, I transferred them to GoDaddy as well. I haven’t opted for privacy, but it is available (for a fee).

I also have two domains registered with MyHosting.com (affiliated with softcomca.com). They have more complicated procedures for changing DNS and otherwise interacting with the domains, but they too are reliable. Cost more, however; if I were not so lazy (and slightly disinclined to put all my eggs in one basket, but only slightly), I’d probably move those to Go
Daddy as well, which makes the process very easy.

[annc]

I'v got a couple registered with GoDaddy, and am happy with their service so far.Yes, they do, but as others have said here, they do charge more for private registration.

[marlene]

Thanks for all the pro-GoDaddy responses. I decided to just go with the company that AlienCreed (my web/e-mail host) uses. They'll take care of switching it over, and I can still have my private registration.

I think Terrie was asking about private registration -- that means your contact information (name, address, phone, e-mail address) are not shown publicly in Whois. People can contact you through the company (e.g., Network Solutions), which forwards the messages to you.

Otherwise, spammers and other unsavory organisms can harvest your information from Whois and send you lots of unwanted messages.

mxh

[terrie]

>>marlene: private registration -- that means your contact information (name, address, phone, e-mail address) are not shown publicly in Whois. People can contact you through the company (e.g., Network Solutions), which forwards the messages to you.

Thanks...I thought that's what that meant...

Terrie

[Daudio]

private registration... Otherwise, spammers and other unsavory organisms can harvest your information from Whois and send you lots of unwanted messages. I've been registered with GoDaddy (not private) for a long time now, and I don't recall any spam on my domain, so I wonder if it's worth the extra cost ?

Dave
daveayers.com

[dthomsen8]

I've been registered with GoDaddy (not private) for a long time now, and I don't recall any spam on my domain, so I wonder if it's worth the extra cost ?

Dave
daveayers.com


Sometimes people want to have a web site which is private in the sense that others cannot tell very easily who is producing the web. This may be for partisan or non-partisan political reasons, or for advocacy of unpopular religious or cultural or political views. SPAM may not be the concern at all.

[dthomsen8]

Network Solutions/Verisign has received a lot of criticism, not only for high prices, but for various business practices deemed unfair by the competition.

A bit of search engine work will give you plenty of stories along that line.

Personally, I have found Godaddy.com to be quite reliable. They have a lot of sales pitch before a registration is renewed, but it is easy to say no.

David



One of my domain registrations expires soon, and I am debating whether to renew it with Network Solutions (probably the most expensive, but I've always used them) or with one of the cheaper purveyors of domain registrations.

Does it really make much difference? AFAIK, the cheaper company I am considering also offers private registration (so my contact information doesn't show up in Whois), which I now have through Network Solutions and is essential.

mxh

[ktinkel]

Sometimes people want to have a web site which is private in the sense that others cannot tell very easily who is producing the web. I always used to think that was sort of dirty pool, but lately I have been receiving snail mail addressed to my home address that obviously comes from domain registrations, and I do not like that at all.

So I am considering paying for privacy even though I sort of don’t approve of it.

[LoisWakeman]

Kathleen - interesting. I personally think that domain privacy is wrong, period. If one is confident enough of his/her views, product, or service to publicise it on the web, then I think he/she should be prepared to take responsibility for it.

Just like I am not allowed to hide my identity as a company director for legal, or nefarious, purposes.

There may be very occasional exceptions where people are targeted by extremists (like the guinea pig farm in the UK just forced to close by animal rights "activists" - AKA terrorists). But that should be a judgement handed down by the legal system, not a right for every tom, dick or harry.

(As for snail mail getting through - it is not that hard to find someone through electoral registers etc, so if a determined person wanted to mail you, they'd do it anyway. And if they are only making casual use of your details to sell you stuff, that is not really very menacing - just a PITA.)

[ktinkel]

I personally think that domain privacy is wrong, period. If one is confident enough of his/her views, product, or service to publicise it on the web, then I think he/she should be prepared to take responsibility for it.I always felt that way, but it does change things somewhat when you are a sole proprietor using a home address rather than a business one. I do not live alone, after all; if there are any hazards, my husband (involuntarily) shares them.

At considerable cost I could incorporate as a business, have the corporation listed with a commercial (or my attorney’s) address, and comply with every aspect of the “law” — but private registration is a less expensive solution, and I suspect it will grow in popularity, for better or worse.

Among the mail I have received — and saw through, fortunately — were very plausible-looking cancellation notices for domains as well as advertising pitches targeted (loosely) to content on the sites. As you say, mostly annoying.

I can live with annoying. But do believe life in the U.S. may have hazards rarely (or never) encountered in England. Or it may be that we here have an exaggerated sense of privacy and heightened concern over identity theft.

I agree that people who express themselves on the web or in print need to be held accountable for accuracy, legality, etc. But when I write a book, my home address is not on the copyright page; here, though, it is.

Just a few thoughts. I do not (yet) have a determined position, but do see the flaws in wide-open public notice in this business.

[annc]

We had a maverick domain registrar here that was sending out mail to everyone with a domain (at least businesses, not sure about private ones) for a couple of years, advising that domains were close to renewal date, and offering to take over as registrar and renew the domain names. They carefully refrained from actually invoicing people, but the law eventually caught up with them anyway, and they no longer send out these letters. I got about 50 or so before they were stopped, I think.

The silly thing was, the program they used to format the letters lost the first character in the company name, so after the second letter, I just tossed them all in the recycle bin unopened. After about 12 nonths of this there was some coverage in the press, then they started coming in envelopes with different stationery for a while, then eventually stopped altogether.

Oh, and at some stage they stopped coming to my postal address, and started coming to my street address.

[ktinkel]

We had a maverick domain registrar here that was sending out mail to everyone with a domain (at least businesses, not sure about private ones) for a couple of years, advising that domains were close to renewal date, and offering to take over as registrar and renew the domain names. They carefully refrained from actually invoicing …I get those as well, and they look quite official. In small print toward the bottom it says it is actually an order form, not a real invoice. I throw them out as well, but expect some pay up.

The alternate yellow-page phone directory companies do something similar — if you don’t pay attention, you may find yourself paying to advertise in a book that most people simply throw out!

As Lois says, it is mostly annoying. And wasteful, infuriating, and frustrating. But not truly dangerous (so long as you read carefully and pitch the things).