Reserving a domain 4

[cian]

I put this is the ethics forum cos I thought it might be most appropriate.

What are your thought's on reserving an already active domain name?
There's a domain name I really want to get but it has been active for about 6 years and is due for nenewal in a few months. Would it be unfair if I were to reserve this name and try to get it before it is nenewed?
The site owner doesn't seem to be doing anything with it anyway.
Know of any cheap places to reserve a domain name? I have seen prices of up to $70.

Thanks,




É
::

http://www.endamcg.com

 

[sleipnir214]

If someone has kept a domain name alive for the last 6 years (since the internet Stone Age, for all intents and purposes), what makes you think that he's not going to renew it this time?

Anyway, I find reserving a domain name ethically questionable. Too many things can go wrong with the current lease-holder's communication with the registrar. It would be unethical for you to capitalize on the failure of some registar's mail server. If the process of reminding the current lessor that the domain name is up for renewal were more deterministic, I would have fewer qualms.


Also, starting with the fact that the current domain holder is doing nothing with the domain name now, you cannot infer that he has never and will never do anything with it.

By the way, what evidence do you have that he's not using it?


My advice is that you contact the current lease-holder of the domain, and ask what is plans are for the domain. If he tells you that he's going to renew, you just saved $70. Want the best answers? Ask the best questions:

http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

TANSTAAFL!

 

[iSeriesCodePoet]

That is my thoughts. Contact him/het. Maybe he/she will sell it to you, or give it to you. iSeriesCodePoet
IBM iSeries (AS/400) Programmer

 

[cian]

Hi,

sleipnir214, after the first term of 5 years he only renewed it for 1 year and there is no visual sign of activity on the site. In other words it's not a site open for public viewing. Of course he may be using it for testing or other purposes.
I agree with you about reserving the domain, BUT i think if the name lapses for even 1 day then it's fair game. Others wouldn't even give it a second thought and would just snap it up.

iSeriesCodePoet, I have already contacted him and asked would he sell it to me. No reply yet.

Thanks again!


É
::

http://www.endamcg.com

 

[iSeriesCodePoet]

I would think then it comes down to how sneaky and rotten you are. If I really wanted it, then I would probably debate the same thing you are now. It it expires, it is fair game to everyone, why not yourself? I think if you make an effort (and document it) that you tried to contact the person, you have done your part. iSeriesCodePoet
IBM iSeries (AS/400) Programmer

 

[garwain]

I personally don't see anything wrong with it. I get email reminders from my registrar when I have 90 days, 60 days, 30 days, 15, 10 and 5 days to renew. I often get offers from other registrars as well, so if I don't renew in time, then too bad for me. I don't know of any registrar that requires you to renew only at the last minute. could register a domain today for a client then re-negotiate my contract tomorrow and renew my domain immediatly for another 5 years if I want.

Another way to look at this is would it be unethical for me to bid on an ebay auction at the last second to win it? Is that unethical for the person who was winning but wasn't there at the last second to bid again? He had his chance ages ago. He bid what he though he would be willing to pay, even if he lost by 1 cent, it's fair play for the person who made the last bid. The same goes with domains. It's been deemed fair play to snap up a domain milliseconds after it expires. The owner of the domain agreed to these rules when he obtained the domain. Just because you don't read the rules before playing, doesn't mean they don't apply.

As for the domain being inactive. How did you check? if you only checked for a web sever, then you only know he isn't running (or maintaining) a website. The owner might only have a mail server, or be running some other service on the machine. Perhaps he only has subdomains set up...

 

[sleipnir214]

There are difference between an eBay auction and reserving a domain name....

1. The item's owner intends to sell the item.
2. The item's owner benefits from the sale.
3. The item's owner has the technical expertise necessary to participate in the sale.
4. The item's owner can always refuse to sell the item, even after the auction is finished.
5. The owner's livelihood will not directly depend on his continuing ownership of the item.
Want the best answers? Ask the best questions:

http://www.catb.org/~esr/faqs/smart-questions.html

TANSTAAFL!

 

[cian]

garwain, inactive was a poor choice of words on my part. After soom checking I found that he has a website but no longer has that site online. Of course he could be running other services off it.
I'll just wait, and if it expires then i'll register it. I'm not sneaky or rotten so I won't try anything else.

sleipnir214, another difference though, is that when you selling an item at auction, it is something you own! A domian name is usually "rented". You never really own it, in you don't you pay to keep it you lose it, so it's not an item you can sell in the same way as a tangible item you actually own.

É
::

http://www.endamcg.com

 

[MadTown]

There is nothing ethically wrong with reserving an active domain name that is about to expire. First in foremost the reserve process is not a guarantee that it will not be renewed. Secondly the process of a domain going back to the general public requires a 45 day wait after the domain expires.

If the Registerer doesn't take action within these 45 days the domain is going to be up for grabs to the general public. Now look at this scenario:

I know nothing about whatever.com and on a hunch go to a regsistrar and type it into the search function and low and behold it is available. I have no idea that this domain was registered to someone else 46 days ago. Would it be unethical of me to register this domain? Is it my job to hunt down the person who owned it previously and ask them if it's alright with them that I register it?

When you reserve a domain you're basically making a bet that the current owner will not renew. I admit this would be unethical if it wasn't for the 45 day + waiting period after the domain expires.

Ken

 

[cian]

Thanks for the comments Ken. I actually didn't know about the 45 day waiting period, thats good to know.

É
::

http://www.endamcg.com