Dot Pro Names?

[TLDnetworks]

Anybody pick up a .pro name with the promotion?

I'm taking a chance on two;
Portfolio.pro
and
Data.pro

Might just keep Portfolio.pro...

 

[-db-]

Indeed, the ownership transfer went very smoothly.

My thanks again to Rob for always being so helpful and professional. You are a class act.

 

[Prosperous]

:red:

 

[TLDnetworks]

I've been checking, and there are A LOT of unbelieveable keywords still available. BUT, as I start considering it, Duke and -db-'s point about the development comes more and more to the forefront. Even the third level names that are available are really Phenomenal with the development considered. Unfortunatly, I'm to much of a newbie to fully understand the development side, thus I will most likely miss these opportunities.

ps. Thanks Duke for the info and clarification. Now I just have to figure out how to do it. :D

 

[mastodont]

I agree with you.

 

[biggie]

just another extension for you guys to waste yo money on!

like the .in and the .co.in ...the .pro just costs you mo money!

 

[robertjr]

just another extension for you guys to waste yo money on!

like the .in and the .co.in ...the .pro just costs you mo money!

:lol:.......

 

[AdoptableDomains]

At one time, the reason for the price of .pro was that they included a security certificate with the domains. It appears that's only for the third levels such as name.cpa.pro now.

They need to control the DNS to comply with the ICANN operating agreement that names ONLY forward to a third level profession dot-pro name.

As for getting .pro, that's the most complicated agreeement I've ever seen. When you registger one of these "forwarding" domains you are agreeing that it will forward to a third level .pro name in either .law.pro, .med.pro, or .cpa.pro. To get a second level domain that actually resolves, you must also purchase two credentialed third level names, at a normal price of at least $99 each. It now costs you at least $297 next year to maintain the second level name that actually resolves. To have the third level names, you are required to provide credentials once a year for the profession. If you don't qualify, they can delete the name.

From the ICANN/registrypro agreement amendment:

2.6 Redirect Services at the Second-Level. Registrations of second-level domain name under the .pro TLD are available in two different forms described as follows. The eligibility requirements as listed in this Appendix L must be followed for both options.
If the registrant provides multiple professional services and hence meets two or more of the eligibility requirements, then registration can be performed directly under .pro, such as <companyname.pro>.

If the registrant provides professional service under one of the profession-specific second-level options (see this Appendix L for requirements) registration can also be performed on the second-level. In this case the registration will require a redirect to the third-level professional designator that corresponds to the registrant’s professional area.

As an example, a law firm could register <companyname.pro> in addition to <companyname.law.pro>. For both URL and email services, a redirect would be required so that <companyname.pro> would be redirected to <companyname.law.pro>.

Also see these requirements:

EnCirca's ProForwarding Service If you sign up for EnCirca's ProForwarding service, you acknowledge the following:

* Domains maintained by EnCirca's ProForwarding service must use EnCirca's nameservers
* The public Whois will list "ProForwarding" as the registrant and you as the Admin contact. The contact information provided in the Admin contact must be accurate at all times
* Domains maintained by EnCirca's ProForwarding service may be transferred in a private sale to a third party at any time. Owner transfer is accomplished via EnCirca's free Account Move utility
* Domains maintained by EnCirca's ProForwarding service do not include a digital certificate
* A Domain may be removed from EnCirca's ProForwarding service by converting it to a ProResolving domain where it must be associated with two third-level .pro domains in different professions.

You could lose your money due to this policy in the ICANN agreement:

Registrants of Registered Names and Defensive Registrations in the .pro TLD will be required to certify that they meet the qualifications set forth in this Appendix L. Qualifications for registration of Registered Names will be verified and periodically re-verified, and will be signified by digital credentials recorded in the registry database. Qualifications for Defensive Registrations will not be subject to verification, re-verification, or digital-credential requirements. Qualifications for both Registered Names and Standard Defensive Registrations, however, will be subject to challenge under the Qualification Challenge Policy described in Appendix M.

Because the eligibility for Registered Names within .pro will be verified, they may only be registered by persons or entities that are licensed or credentialed to provide professional services in the profession for which the PS-SLD was established and within a Licensing Jurisdiction for which a Verification Process (as defined in Subsection 8.3 of this Appendix L) has been established. Persons or entities that are licensed or accredited to provide professional services within one of the existing PS-SLDs may register for Defensive Registrations, even though the jurisdiction in which they are licensed or accredited is not a Licensing Jurisdiction for which a Verification Process has been established. In the event that a Verification Process is established in a Licensing Jurisdiction in which a Defensive Registrant is located, the Defensive Registrant may apply for a domain name in the PS-SLD.

(which then relates to this)

8.2 Data Requirements. A domain name may be registered prior to the completion of the Verification Process; however, it will not resolve in the DNS until such time as the Verification Process has been successfully completed and the eligibility for registration confirmed. Any domain that has been registered for 60 days without successful confirmation of such eligibility may be deleted by the Registry Operator. There shall be no refund of fees paid for such deleted names.

The way I read it, encirca's trying to pull a shady deal that defies the ICANN registry agreement and amendments. I'll pass, even though it was tempting on first look.

 

[homebuyer]

For pros only

I read on the .pro registry home page that the registrant must be a professional on their list of approved professions. Also, I believe that even after you pay EnCirca, you still have to send in a paper application certifying that you meet the .pro registration requirements.

Let me tell you something. The .pro registry can be sued if they eliminate the original registrant requirements after already selling all of those domains to lawyers who expected the .pro to be just for the professionals.

As for the desirability of the .pro for lawyers, I'll stick with the household name $7 .coms.

 

[mole]

who has golf.pro - willing to pay $500 for it.

 

[jim]

who has golf.pro - willing to pay $500 for it.

Looks like someone got it before the current promotion started
http://www.registrypro.pro/whois.php?search=golf.pro

jim

 

[William9]

…The way I read it, encirca's trying to pull a shady deal that defies the ICANN registry agreement and amendments. I'll pass, even though it was tempting on first look.

Among the numerous issues the agreement raised are the ones you (AdoptableDomains) raise. Yea, you don’t know is if there was an under-the-table agreement with ICANN to allow it or face the embarrassment of the .PRO registry shuting-down. Maybe a new contract between .PRO and ICANN is secretly in the works?

I do very much appreciate Duke’s posts and like most board members trust him without reservation. But, the issue remains that anything in writing probably supersedes what is said in a phone call.

Another of my concerns still stands, as it is NOT registered in your name, in law, you don’t own it as I read it – and thus have no legal rights.

Next, it the required transfer policy agreement, basically negates years of progress in transfers as I read it. It cuts out rights that I thought we fought ICANN for years to get us? How can those rights (of transfer) be permitted to be taken away?

Still, don’t get me wrong, it still could be the best thing since sliced bread – I just think there is a low probability of that. I still may get two(2) for a year for vanity purposes.

Good luck to all and I hope everyone makes out like a bandit on .PRO.


03/05/05 update, sharename posted:

EnCirca has posted an update at

http://www.encirca.biz/html/proforwarding.shtml

1. You may use any nameservers for your domain

2. You are free to change the technical and billing contact

 

[-db-]

2 is a good number William. That's what we got. A nice even 100 dollars. These days, that's a night out for dinner and a show. I think that's a reasonable amount to spend on a hobby. Not too reckless. And if myself or somebody in my family can't get 100 dollars worth of use from these 2 names, then something is wrong with us.

Webmasters.PRO // Script.PRO

 

[Ron Jackson]

it still could be the best thing since sliced bread – I just think there is a low probability of that. I still may get two(2) for a year for vanity purposes.

All good points William and people should keep the things you brought up in mind in weighing the overall risk/reward ratio for the extension. I personally have not registered any .pro yet. Have been considering a few but the restrictions and high renewal cost still have me on the fence.

 

[sharename]

Now able to use own nameservers

EnCirca has posted an update at

http://www.encirca.biz/html/proforwarding.shtml

1. You may use any nameservers for your domain

2. You are free to change the technical and billing contact

 

[Argos]

thank you all for your warnings, motivations, hesitations, the more I read about .pro makes me very reluctant & very much interested. For having spent a lot of time on the "Check It" box of Encirca, I can tell you that in a few days numerous good names that were available days before have been discreetly registered !!! Lol
Just in case I got yesterday Cosmetics.pro and a few minutes ago Voyeur.pro... very nice and reasonnable investment, isn'it ?
Say YES pls !!! You know this persistent little voice before registration... and the roaring of kinda wife just after .... but I am used to... I am a ... pro now !

 

[marcuss]

The statement that without the additional $50 you can't forward or use it in any way.

Does anybody have a link, or something that confirms that information?

It seems like it does work to (frame) forward the domain only for the original $50 if you enter the address to forward to when registering. I just registered hire.pro and paid $50 for that. It is now forwarded.

Well http://www.encirca.biz/html/proforwarding.shtml also says:

Included with the service is free "cloaked" web forwarding to any web address you provide. You may also use your own nameservers or just park the domain with EnCirca.

 

[Argos]

If no immediate development how to park .pro names as for example Sedo and Afternic do not have the extension in their data base yet ?
This is what I got from Afternic :

"Hi,

Thank you for using Afternic. We do not accept that extension at this time.
However, we are always including new extensions to our list when we see a
demand for them. Keep checking the site and feel free to send anther e-mail
to check again in the future. Have a great day.

Best regards,

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Member Support Rep
[email protected]"

 

[Prosperous]

I just registered hire.pro and paid $50 for that. It is now forwarded.

Crap, that one was still available! Good for you! I totally overlooked that one.

 

[William9]

EnCirca has posted an update at

http://www.encirca.biz/html/proforwarding.shtml

1. You may use any nameservers for your domain

2. You are free to change the technical and billing contact

Thank you so much for the update sharename! That change pushed me to the other side of the fence. In my mind, the stated change clearly adds investment potential to the otherwise entertainment value! Thanks.

 

[AdoptableDomains]

I believe this is simply an attempt at a loophole to sell domains to resellers that may not have a valid right to keep them, I also think it is very risky and could cost you later. It would be nice if Duke, a NameJournal associated reporter, or other trusted body could get a statement from registrypro.pro on this issue before members here spend a lot of money with encirca speculating on the equivalent of swamp land in Florida.
By registrypro/ICANN rules, to hold any second or third level .pro domain, you are required to be qualified by verifiable credentials under one of the following classifications:

cpa.pro (Certified Public Accountant)
law.pro (Lawyer)
med.pro (Medical Degree)
aca.pro
bar.pro (Member of Bar Association)
jur.pro (Judge or similar)
eng.pro (professional engineer)

There is a rule that says you domain can be disputed as not qualifying. Therefore, could be taken by someone who is qualified without recourse. This means that if you register something like vehicles.pro, and a lawyer who specializes in vehicle law and owns maybe smith.law.pro want to showcase his specialty by having vehicles.pro, you will probably have to forfeit to him for violation of the registry agreement if you don't qualify for a third level domain.

Here is a summary of the rules currently on the registrypro site:

.Pro Product Information

Qualified professionals will be able to purchase any of the following products:

.Pro Third-Level:

Members of the medical, legal, accounting and engineering professions, licensed in the United States, Canada, Germany or the United Kingdom, are eligible to register for third-level .Pro domains. Registrants can secure profession-specific third-level names such as name.law.pro, name.med.pro and name.cpa.pro. Each registrant's identity and professional license information will be verified against relevant public and third-party databases prior to domain name activation. Additionally, each domain is issued with a digital certificate and each registrant will have the choice of an SSL or email (s/MIME) certificate.

.Pro Second-Level Resolving:

Registrants who provide multiple professional services (e.g. legal and medical services) are eligible to register a resolving second-level name (e.g. companyname.pro). After purchasing and qualifying for two third-level domains, in two distinct professions (e.g. name.law.pro and name.med.pro), registrants may request their desired second-level name. Each resolving second-level name is issued with a digital certificate and each registrant will have the choice of an SSL or email (s/MIME) certificate.

.Pro Second-Level Redirecting:

Registrants who provide professional service in the medical, legal, accounting and engineering professions and have registered a third-level domain under that profession, registration can also be performed on the second-level for a redirecting name (e.g. companyname.pro redirects to name.law.pro).

After purchasing and qualifying for one third-level domain (see above), registrants may request their desired redirecting second-level name. In this case the second-level name will require a redirect to the third-level professional designator that corresponds to the registrant's professional area. Each redirecting second-level name is issued with an email (s/MIME) digital certificate.

I think this situation is definitely Caviat Emptor!

However, if you are the gambling type, or do legitimately qualify, these are availableas of posting, since I don't have any interest at this point:

Programming.pro
Coding.pro
auctioneer.pro
unix.pro
perl.pro
incometax.pro
LemonLaw.pro
skiing.pro
printing.pro
trucking.pro
driving.pro

NP$ appreciated if these help you.