Get a free domain name and hosting from Microsoft

[Sir Regalot]

http://news.cnet.com/8301-13845_3-10160295-58.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547-1_3-0-20

 

[shaelheart]

Microsoft is getting aggressive online. Is the company trying to invade the webhosting industry? Google hasn't offered free domain and free hosting although you can host your customized blog at blogspot.

 

[dmi]

Has anyone tried this? Is there some kind of catch?

 

[Ms Domainer]

Has anyone tried this? Is there some kind of catch?

*

The likely catch:

Renewal fee shock.

Before signing up, read the fine print and TOS first.

Lesson: Beware of large corporations bearing gifts.



*

 

[snowbird]

This has been offered by Microsoft for quite some time now. The only catch really is that you have to use your free domain with THEIR hosting. I did this program back when it was in beta and to use their hosting, they wanted you to use their website designer. Things could have changed by now but I was not all that thrilled with it. It is more for new business people who are new to web design and know little or nothing about it. As for the domain i registered when this program was in beta, the domain keeps renewing every year free of charge from what I can remember. But they wont let you change the nameservers and you are not able to transfer the domain away to another registrar I dont think. Either that or they just dont make it easy to do so.

 

[Ms Domainer]

This has been offered by Microsoft for quite some time now. The only catch really is that you have to use your free domain with THEIR hosting. I did this program back when it was in beta and to use their hosting, they wanted you to use their website designer. Things could have changed by now but I was not all that thrilled with it. It is more for new business people who are new to web design and know little or nothing about it. As for the domain i registered when this program was in beta, the domain keeps renewing every year free of charge from what I can remember. But they wont let you change the nameservers and you are not able to transfer the domain away to another registrar I dont think. Either that or they just dont make it easy to do so.

*

Interesting.

So you're basically "leasing" (albeit free) the domain from Microsoft, who maintains ownership of the domain. So if your site takes off, they own your fantastic domain.

That sounds like a major trap.

*

 

[snowbird]

No, I never said Microsoft "owned" the domain. YOU will be the legal registrant of the domain. The only spot that has Microsoft's info on it in the whois record is the Tech area. The domain I got for free with them was registered through MELBOURNE IT, LTD.

 

[.Andy]

I may get MICROSOFTSUCKSANDHERESWHY.COM I wonder if they will pay for it

 

[shahgee]

[staff edit] Spam

 

[starsearcher]

Wow! I wonder when Google will do the same..

 

[gaurav8583]

microsoft

i thing it`s wrong news some outher sits providing space..

 

[labrocca]

I swear the temptation to create some misguided microsoft hate site is overwhelming.

 

[wussadotcom]

No, I never said Microsoft "owned" the domain. YOU will be the legal registrant of the domain. The only spot that has Microsoft's info on it in the whois record is the Tech area. The domain I got for free with them was registered through MELBOURNE IT, LTD.

So is there anything at our site pointing to Microsoft or something?

 

[trisario]

Hmm..the 'free' domain expires after 1 year, and then you're gonna have to pay 15bucks per year.

 

[snowbird]

Hmm..the 'free' domain expires after 1 year, and then you're gonna have to pay 15bucks per year.

Thats strange. Mine renews every year free of charge. Maybe they have changed the rules when you signed up.

 

[DnFloorCEO]

The domain I got for free with them was registered through MELBOURNE IT, LTD.

Well then I guess that's the catch, isn't it? You have a domain that's registered with Melbourne IT. This isn't much different than when Yahoo was doing $1.95 domains (except it's $2 less of course). The problem is if you ever sell the domain, it's nearly impossible to transfer it. I don't believe they're even ICANN accredited. That's why nobody buys domains from yahoo. I once sold a domain to somebody and couldn't transfer it to them, so I ended up having to just give them my yahoo account.

 

[tcw]

I've done this, and ended up weasling the MelbourneIT login info out of them.