.info domibot.info, Now I know all I need to know about domain hijacking.

[End User King]

Stubbled across this domain. Pretty interested read.

 

[Kate]

Well they are not alone. There is competition these days even between drop registrars. But I'm pretty sure each gets their fair share of good domains :yell:

 

[Lasher]

Twelve pages of ranting by mostly clueless people a small number of whom have valid complaints. There is a world of difference between hijacking whois searches and registering expired domains. There is a world of difference between "cybersquatting" and investing in domains. What is it with people who seem to think they can let something expire, have a free 30-90 day grace period in which to renew it in spite of expiration and still complain when they don't and someone else registers it? I only ever use the plain old vanilla unix 'whois' command for looking up domains and have never had a problem with domains being pulled out from underneath me, so wherever these bots are intercepting whois searches, it isnt the root servers.

In the meantime, doesn't it make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside to be so loved by the wider internet community that has no idea how the business works?

 

[TestCase]

Twelve pages of ranting by mostly clueless people a small number of whom have valid complaints.

Hmmm, not sure if I'm one of the cluless or one of the valid -- there are many that would argue the former...

Though I haven't added my stories to that list, I have felt domibot's bite on at least 3 occasions. The most recent was last weekend.

A new client is looking to set up a website and asked for some dn recommendations. I checked out his list of names last Sunday and reported their availability to him on Monday morning. When I went back Monday afternoon to register the one he decided on, I found it had been registered that morning!!

As it was not a generic name by any stretch of the imagination, I checked the whois and discovered it was one of the domibot "companies"!!! I explained the situation to my client and told him that if he wanted the domain name "back", he was not visit the domain for ANY reason until I gave him the OK.

As it had been 5 days, last night I went back to check on its availability and lo and behold, I found it running free once again. Needless to say, I scooped it up!

End of story...

 

[bocanames]

The domain testing scheme is being abused in a massive and organized way and must be scrapped. See this: http://texturbation.com/blog/2006/07/31/domain-kiting-hall-of-shame/

 

[Kate]

What is it with people who seem to think they can let something expire, have a free 30-90 day grace period in which to renew it in spite of expiration and still complain when they don't and someone else registers it?

Agreed.
People sometimes realize much later that they lost their unused domains because the contact details were not up-to-date or whatever. Anyway, it sucks to lose valuable domains, whatever the circumstances.

...
In the meantime, doesn't it make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside to be so loved by the wider internet community that has no idea how the business works?

I'm sure we are pretty much hated by people who know nothing in the business
Also many people do not make a difference between cybersquatting and domain investing, the worst is that the media reports do not help to clear out the confusion. For example http://news.com.com/ICANN+needs+to+clamp+down+on+domain+name+abuse/2010-1030_3-6084970.html
I like this quote in particular:

Today, cybersquatters have rebranded themselves as "domainers."

 

[bocanames]

Today, cybersquatters have rebranded themselves as "domainers."

Yeah shame on Doug Isenberg for propogating this FUD, it sparked a flood of outrage on various blogs. These kinds of inflammatory stories were honest mistakes from confused reporters in years past but now it's just muckraking. Most domainers are honest and ethical business people. And of course if you don't renew your domain I have every right to buy it - current owner always has right of first refusal.