FN-FORUM: Domain Name hogs

date posted 15th August 2000 18:29

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If, like me, you often type an address into the browser hoping that it =
might take you where you want to go without all that tedious searching, =
then you'll have got endless companies offering to sell you said domain =
name once you arrive. I just tried this with www.computerhardware.co.uk =
(looking for a chassis fan - can I find one?). It just got me wondering =
just how many of the really good domain names are tied up with companies =
like that, and not actually being used. It's like someone with a private =
beach who never uses it.

Now I know there's alot to be said for the free market economy and all, =
but maybe there ought to be some limitations on how long you can just =
hang on to a domain name without "using" it. Something like, say, if you =
own the domain for 2 years and never actually use it for a commercial =
venture, you would be forced to sell it on? (this is going to upset some =
people I bet)

The reason I think this is that I feel it's holding up the growth of the =
internet in this country to some extent. It's as if somebody bought up =
half of Oxford Street, and refused to put any shops in until they were =
paid millions of pounds (although some may say that happened already =
;-). Obviously this will change over time, as people realise that the =
prices they want are just not realistic (that bubble seems to have burst =
at least) but will that leave us at a disadvantage to the rest of Europe =
and the US in the meantime (or are they just as bad for that matter)?

Curious to know what others think ...

Rich O.
http://www.designzone.co.uk

P.S. For people interested in international comparisons, try =
http://www.isi.gov.uk/isi/ where you can get lots of info on how things =
are developing across the US, Europe and Japan.

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If, like me, you often type an address =
into the=20
browser hoping that it might take you where you want to go without all =
that=20
tedious searching, then you'll have got endless companies offering to =
sell you=20
said domain name once you arrive. I just tried this with=20
www.computerhardware.co.uk (looking for a chassis fan - can I find =
one?). It=20
just got me wondering just how many of the really good domain names are =
tied up=20
with companies like that, and not actually being used. It's like someone =
with a=20
private beach who never uses it.
 
Now I know there's alot to be said for =
the free=20
market economy and all, but maybe there ought to be some limitations on =
how long=20
you can just hang on to a domain name without "using" it. =
Something=20
like, say, if you own the domain for 2 years and never actually use it =
for a=20
commercial venture, you would be forced to sell it on? (this is going to upset some people I bet)
 
The reason I think this is that I feel =
it's holding=20
up the growth of the internet in this country to some extent. It's as if =

somebody bought up half of Oxford Street, and refused to put any shops =
in until=20
they were paid millions of pounds (although some may say that happened=20
already ;-). Obviously this will change over time, as people =
realise that=20
the prices they want are just not realistic (that bubble seems to have =
burst at=20
least) but will that leave us at a disadvantage to the rest of Europe =
and the US=20
in the meantime (or are they just as bad for that matter)?
 
Curious to know what others think =
...
 
Rich O.
http://www.designzone.co.uk
 
P.S. For people interested in =
international=20
comparisons, try http://www.isi.gov.uk/isi/ w=
here you=20
can get lots of info on how things are developing across the US, Europe =
and=20
Japan.

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