Nominet Zone File Released in May

[RobM]

I doubt 'premium' domains are not in my list considering I've checked against 125 million registered domains and that's bound to include common phrases/words etc. Anyway we'll all have a list on Tuesday.

 

[Murray]

I doubt 'premium' domains are not in my list considering I've checked against 125 million registered domains and that's bound to include common phrases/words etc. Anyway we'll all have a list on Tuesday.

The only good ones you might not have on your list are domains with SEO value

@invincible I know you wanted the zone file released, was this your influence?

 

[RobM]

I suspect top registrars wanted this. Usually everything 'decided' by nominet directly benefits them - introduction of an unnecessary extension (more money for registrars) - introduction of an unnecessary price hike (more money for registrars).

 

[invincible]

@invincible I know you wanted the zone file released, was this your influence?

I think a lot of people have been asking for Nominet to make them available so I won't claim responsibility for it finally happening. I did make a case for Nominet to go beyond releasing only the standard active zone file, asking them to consider releasing the entire list of registered domain names too (including suspended and no name server assigned domain names which wouldn't be in the active zone). I'm pleased they are doing both.

 

[invincible]

I suspect top registrars wanted this. Usually everything 'decided' by nominet directly benefits them - introduction of an unnecessary extension (more money for registrars) - introduction of an unnecessary price hike (more money for registrars).

Some registrars wanted the zone to exclude the registered names from their name spinners which suggest alternative domain names to prospective registrants when their preferred name is not available. I'm sure brand protection also wanted it.

 

[RobM]

A lot of us wanted this years ago. We weren't the right voices I guess.

 

[RobM]

It just seems to me that when a lot of people who would benefit were domain traders (ie us) we weren't given it. Now with a totally ridiculous unnecessary price hike coupled with a poor new unasked for extension which mainly benefit the top registrars the release of the zone file is perfectly timed so as to cause a mass flurry of .uk registrations at the new price. The registrants don't benefit - if anything more uks being registered with dilute far more brands. The domain traders don't benefit because now registrars can just take domains for themselves. The people who benefit from this are the registrars and nominet. Maybe I'm just cynical but nominet have shown many times over the years that they only do things that will directly benefit themselves and a few very rich people (who may or may not have had ties directly to them in the past). They have always lacked transparency. There is a reason for this and it's not out of the goodness of their heart.

 

[RobM]

Sorry I can't see an edit option so everytime I make a new post I feel I should add though it's good we're getting this - just a shame it's a decade late.

 

[invincible]

It just seems to me that when a lot of people who would benefit were domain traders (ie us) we weren't given it.

"Domain Trader" is your differentiation but Nominet just consider everyone to be registrars and most of them trade. Perhaps instead of your "domain traders" differentiation you should try to be more transparent by instead saying something like "...were mostly one man bands who became Nominet members and registrars in order to make use of its systems to re-register expiring domain names faster than anyone else so that they sometimes monetise them with PPC adverts and also to sell them on for a lot more money than they cost?" If we said that, assuming you consider it far more accurate, I think we'd gain a lot more respect from those in the domain name industry who don't do this but wonder why those that do it don't admit it for what it is.

Now with a totally ridiculous unnecessary price hike coupled with a poor new unasked for extension which mainly benefit the top registrars

I'm not going to get into discussing the price hike in this thread if I can help it because I've explored it elsewhere. I don't consider .uk to be "poor" and I think there are arguements against its introducing mainly benefitting the top registrars because I suspect some brands had been asking corporate registrars why there was no opportunity to obtain "their-brands.uk" registrations. I recall a discussion of this nature with someone from CSC (a corporate registrar) at the 2012 registrar conference.

the release of the zone file is perfectly timed so as to cause a mass flurry of .uk registrations at the new price.

You believe it is but I know there isn't this thinking at Nominet. A huge number of .uk at the second level are still reserved as part of ROFR. How does zone file release change that?

The registrants don't benefit - if anything more uks being registered with dilute far more brands.

I'm not really following you here but what you are appearing to deduce seems rather weak.

The domain traders don't benefit because now registrars can just take domains for themselves.

No. They can't just do this. They have to obtain explicit permission from the registrant to do it. I don't believe many actuallybother trying to obtain it and therefore don't take over names in this way.

Surely you'd be in a prime position, running DomainView, to produce a list of domain names that you know to have been taken over by registrars recently?

The people who benefit from this are the registrars and nominet. Maybe I'm just cynical but nominet have shown many times over the years that they only do things that will directly benefit themselves and a few very rich people (who may or may not have had ties directly to them in the past). They have always lacked transparency. There is a reason for this and it's not out of the goodness of their heart.

I know you to be rather cynical but that shows through in some of the comments I attribute to you at the bottom of online newspaper articles and not just here. Some others here are equally cynical, but for completely different reasons.

How come you don't consider yourself to be one of those very rich people who has done very well out of domain names and wishes to continue to do so, thank you very much?

 

[invincible]

Sorry I can't see an edit option so everytime I make a new post I feel I should add though it's good we're getting this - just a shame it's a decade late.

Nominet isn't the company it was. I'm glad we're getting it and I'm pleased Nominet is moving forward.

 

[Skinner]

Maybe they need to be told this, like when they were "auto catching" names on their tag, which they also "weren't able to *just do*" as you put it... but they did.

No. They can't just do this. They have to obtain explicit permission from the registrant to do it. I don't believe many actuallybother trying to obtain it and therefore don't take over names in this way.

 

[invincible]

Maybe they need to be told this, like when they were "auto catching" names on their tag, which they also "weren't able to *just do*" as you put it... but they did.

"Auto catching"? I don't know what this means and have never heard the term before. Are you referring to what a very small number, if not even just one registrar group, was briefly doing after the new Registrar Agreement was introduced? The taking over of some domain names at midnight which were managed by one of their tags and transferring them to someone who'd placed a back order with them? If so is that registrar still doing it to your knowledge or was it something that halted within a short while after the new Registrar Agreement was introduced, which was quite some time ago now (i.e. over a year).

Why drag up something that happened and was resolved that long back?

 

[Skinner]

Why bring it up ?

Same reason the police, courts, employers, everyone looks at someone's background and past. Same reason you research a hosting company or any company /persons your are going to use, or employ.

So to spell it out for you, if they have done it previously, when also they "couldn't just do that" but they did, potentially without consequence, why is it incomprehensible that they wouldn't again ?

 

[RobM]

Nominet isn't the company it was.

I've yet to see evidence of this.

 

[invincible]

Why bring it up ?

Same reason the police, courts, employers, everyone looks at someone's background and past. Same reason you research a hosting company or any company /persons your are going to use, or employ.

So to spell it out for you, if they have done it previously, when also they "couldn't just do that" but they did, potentially without consequence, why is it incomprehensible that they wouldn't again ?

To put what you are referring to into context, after the Registrar Agreement was changed to permit registrars to take over domain names under certain circumstances when explicit permission to do so has been obtained from the registrant to do it, perhaps 18-24 months ago, I believe one registrar group briefly began taking control of expired domain names at midnight when they had been back ordered using a service they also offered. Registrant permission possibly hadn't been obtained. Incidentally this practice occurs in .com without consequence.

This was quickly curtailed after it was brought to Nominet's attention. I've not seen any suggestions that it's occurred since. If it had occured since it would be apparent because registrant details should change. Those involved in drop catching would be some of the first to notice, to report it and to mention it here.

Are you aware of it happening since that brief point in time?

It isn't incomprehensible that it wouldn't happen again but it also isn't incomprehensible that it wouldn't be noticed and reported if it did.

If you know it to have happened since or to still be happening then report it. Are you aware of it happening since then?

 

[invincible]

I've yet to see evidence of this.

I'm on the Board. I'm here telling you it's a different company. We have a different structure and some different people working for the company. We have zone file release. Did you examine the recent promotions? I'm not what you expect to see. Ever wondered if you need to change as well?

 

[Skinner]

The current potential issue, where you're commenting else where about golf/lll names, could potentially be the same "sort" of thing. If its been done once, and from the outside it appears without consequence, its possible another attempt is being made.

It maybe be totally coincidental, and a lucky save, but what's that saying about smoke and fire ?

Are you aware of it happening since that brief point in time?

It isn't incomprehensible that it wouldn't happen again but it also isn't incomprehensible that it wouldn't be noticed and reported if it did.

If you know it to have happened since or to still be happening then report it. Are you aware of it happening since then?

 

[ian]

I'm on the Board. I'm here telling you it's a different company.

Not much is changed, still quite willing to turn a blind eye to blatant DAC abuse with multiple tags in the same family. I suppose it is who you know. But that's a different story.

 

[invincible]

Not much is changed, still quite willing to turn a blind eye to blatant DAC abuse with multiple tags in the same family. I suppose it is who you know. But that's a different story.

Who?

 

[gimpydog]