Why should Nominet 'hate' domainers..

[julian]

Never quite understood why Nominet should have a direct problem with domainers. It can't see catching a being a real issue..

 

[monaghan]

The people I've spoken with don't have an issue, it seems (in my opinion) that the large registrars have the issue (and of course influence on the board!) with us as they loose out on the potential revenue of selling premium names as they would so with the .com equivalent.

 

[Edwin]

I don't believe they "hate" domainers. If there's an issue, it's probably mainly to do with the fact that there are two groups that understand domains and the domain name system forwards and backwards: domainers and registrars. The latter group's interests generally tend to match Nominet's - whereas the consequences of policy changes are often bad for domainers.

Consequently Nominet knows that they can expect the most vocal-yet-informed opposition to come from the domainer contingent - and therefore some within the organisation may see domainers as a nuisance group that gets in the way of reforms seen as desirable.

Compounding this problem is the fact that historically a small minority of domainers have sadly proven unable to maintain even a modicum of business level professionalism when dialoguing with Nominet - if you dig into some of the historic threads on this forum where Nominet representatives took part (back in the day, they used to, though they haven't for years) it's frankly shameful the degree to which they were attacked, insulted, belittled, etc.

And that had two consequences: potentially tarring all domainers with the same brush in the minds of some of the Nominet folk in the firing line, and forcing Nominet to cut down their Acorn participation before finally giving up posting on the forum entirely.

 

[doma1n]

I don't believe they "hate" domainers. If there's an issue, it's probably mainly to do with the fact that there are two groups that understand domains and the domain name system forwards and backwards: domainers and registrars. The latter group's interests generally tend to match Nominet's - whereas the consequences of policy changes are often bad for domainers.

Consequently Nominet knows that they can expect the most vocal-yet-informed opposition to come from the domainer contingent - and therefore some within the organisation may see domainers as a nuisance group that gets in the way of reforms seen as desirable.

Compounding this problem is the fact that historically a small minority of domainers have sadly proven unable to maintain even a modicum of business level professionalism when dialoguing with Nominet - if you dig into some of the historic threads on this forum where Nominet representatives took part (back in the day, they used to, though they haven't for years) it's frankly shameful the degree to which they were attacked, insulted, belittled, etc.

And that had two consequences: potentially tarring all domainers with the same brush in the minds of some of the Nominet folk in the firing line, and forcing Nominet to cut down their Acorn participation before finally giving up posting on the forum entirely.

Great answer

 

[aZooZa]

Compounding this problem is the fact that historically a small minority of domainers have sadly proven unable to maintain even a modicum of business level professionalism when dialoguing with Nominet - if you dig into some of the historic threads on this forum where Nominet representatives took part (back in the day, they used to, though they haven't for years) it's frankly shameful the degree to which they were attacked, insulted, belittled, etc.

And that had two consequences: potentially tarring all domainers with the same brush in the minds of some of the Nominet folk in the firing line, and forcing Nominet to cut down their Acorn participation before finally giving up posting on the forum entirely.

The obverse of that coin is also true - just exchange subjects and objects. Nominet's current treatment of the membership base is currently abhorrent. They should be ashamed of themselves.

 

[Develop]

Nominet cannot afford to 'Hate Domainers'

They would not be where they are today without the millions of domains registered by the domaining/developing fraternity.

 

[jasman]

We have to be clear what we mean by 'Nominet' - it's an organisation so obviously it has no feelings of its own. Most of its staff no doubt have no problem at all with domainers. But the senior management evidently have their own agenda. I don't think the senior management particularly hated domainers up until a few years ago (other than perhaps the jealousy that some fixed-wage employees feel when innovative entrepreneurs figure out a way to reap great profits). But then the senior management made domainers out to be the bogey man in order to justify changing the way the organisation is governed so they could arrest control of the organisation from the membership and hand it on a silver platter to themselves and a small cabal of registrars. Since then our fully-justified outspoken backlash probably has frustrated the board, but they are the aggressors.

Creating a false enemy to justify seizing more power is a classic stunt that has been used by the politically-minded for centuries. Hitler burnt down the Reichstag, blamed it on the communists and seized emergency powers to bring in the Nazi dictatorship. The 911 attacks were used to bring in anti-terrorism legislation stripping us of many of our freedoms, yet the Patriot Act had already been written and the warships were already in place to attack Afghanistan prior to 911[. Many more examples exist throughout history, it's one of the oldest tricks in the book.

A few years back the government was making noises suggesting it might consider regulating the UK domain industry unless it cleans its act up. But their agenda was different - they wanted more control to censor the web to stop the growth of the independent media that has been publishing things that our newspapers have been censoring for years. All of these groups have their own agenda.

The domainers were used as the scapegoat to justify changing Nominet's voting system so that the domain industry would become a corporate cartel just like the energy industry, the media industry, the banking industry, the telecom industry, the car industry, pretty much every industry you can think of, because BIG BUSINESS + BIG GOVERNMENT = SPOTLIGHT OFF THE GOVERNMENT + MONOPOLY POWER/ HIKING UP PRICES. And since then, we have heard how Nominet has been wining and dining and paying for holidays for politicians, while they go full steam ahead in a direction which benefits their management and the big registrars, but which is against the public interest, the interests of millions of UK SMEs and domainers' interests, culminating recently in the .uk fiasco.

I remember a few years back when we had to vote on whether to change the voting system, how various Acorners were chasing their tails saying we should form a trade association to maintain standards etc. They obviously had been fooled into thinking domainers were the problem, instead of realising they were being used as pawns in a power grab.

 

[TinkyWinky]

They would not be where they are today without the millions of domains registered by the domaining/developing fraternity.

Exactly right.

Without the buying and selling of domains creating a market for the .co.uk/.org.uk domain, the Board of Directors of Nominet wouldn't be sat where they are today.

They actually did some good in building the brand, but they should have left the building at that point!

The current Nominet Board in their eagerness to create a 'lasting legacy' put scant thought into this proposal.

Having auctioned off 1 and 2 letter domains just a year before (Making a few mill on the way) they think it is ok to then propose a complete change of suffix? How unethical is that for starters...

Then having started a consultation I can only assume they thought they could bulldoze through - we're all left with the complete and utter mess to the UK domain space that is today.

For crying out loud - there's still no decision and do I hear the Board have swanned off to Argentina?

What a bunch of muppets.

I for one hope there are a few lawyers out there just waiting for the chance to bring action against Nominet. Precisely it is the Nominet Board who should be the target of any suit, as why should the rank and file suffer.

They are already ruining the reputation of Nominet and losing money to boot.

I know lots of people who are no longer interested in taking a punt on .co.uk domains - especially as they may becomea bit 'obslete' to all intense purposes. I know they will still exist, but if users are confused, Nominet are confused and the market looks a mess, who's going to take a punt?

I have allowed over 500 of the less valuable (but still worth a punt at £5) domains I have picked up as part of portfolios and through purchases to expire. Interestingly quite a few do get snapped up again - but a lot don't.

On an anecdotal level over the past 18 months :

I used to get 10 - 15 enquiries from overseas each month for the domains I hold - this has dried up to 0 in the past 6 months.

I used to get 30 - 40 enquiries from the UK - this has dried up to 2 a month over the past 3 months.

The actual sale price I am achiving is probably about 10 - 20 % down too.

The only way to sort this out properly is to look at a vote of confidence in the Nominet Board with a one tag, one vote system. or maybe there is an even fairer way for the masses to get fair representation?

TW

 

[sdsinc]

The funny thing is, Nominet are looking more and more like they are domainers too.

 

[Sound]

Nominet cannot afford to 'Hate Domainers'

They would not be where they are today without the millions of domains registered by the domaining/developing fraternity.

Saying Nominet needs domainers is like saying The Premiership needs Crystal Palace they don't.

The majority of domains that were caught by drop catchers would just as easily been registered to end users over all these years.

Some of the people who attended this years AGM put themselves and the domain community to shame with their outrages behaviour and lack of knowledge as to how an AGM has to function.

Some members seem to hate Nominet like its a badge of honour.

Nominet and its drop catching model made many thousands of pounds for many on the forum who at all times were treated in a business like way by the people on the front line at Nominet.

 

[Sound]

Spot on, this community needs to take a long hard look at itself and how it has behaved. Allowing ourselves to be dragged into a protracted war by a few megalomaniacs hasn't served us well and we now need to re-assess our relationship with Nominet.

I've had private conversations with Lesley Cowley over the last few months and she's very keen to see better engagement with smaller members and this is something that we need to pursue but with more moderate representation, more realistic expectations of what the £100 a year membership buys us and also a greater understanding of why the bigger registrars have a different and seemingly cosier relationship with Nominet.

Domainers are a very fickle bunch after today's announcement some have already switched sides and are back singing the praises of Nominet and the consultation patting themselves on the back for the great campaign they ran from their bedroom.

I really hope some of the more entrepreneurial domainers and developers like Frank return and start posting again on Acorn.

They understand and embrace change they understand the domain world and internet are don't treat it as real estate that you sit on for years with your hands in your pockets waiting for a buyer.

 

[anthony]

Saying Nominet needs domainers is like saying The Premiership needs Crystal Palace they don't.

The majority of domains that were caught by drop catchers would just as easily been registered to end users over all these years.

Some of the people who attended this years AGM put themselves and the domain community to shame with their outrages behaviour and lack of knowledge as to how an AGM has to function.

Some members seem to hate Nominet like its a badge of honour.

Nominet and its drop catching model made many thousands of pounds for many on the forum who at all times were treated in a business like way by the people on the front line at Nominet.

Domainers are a very fickle bunch after today's announcement some have already switched sides and are back singing the praises of Nominet and the consultation patting themselves on the back for the great campaign they ran from their bedroom.

I really hope some of the more entrepreneurial domainers and developers like Frank return and start posting again on Acorn.

They understand and embrace change they understand the domain world and internet are don't treat it as real estate that you sit on for years with your hands in your pockets waiting for a buyer.

Two very good posts.