New TLDs

[ddunlap]

I keep getting conflicting reports from many "experts" on when the new TLDs are going to go live. And something about pre-registering (and giving my CC payment) to the registrars doesn't feel right to me. So here are 2 questions:

1. Is there a reason to pre-register with a place like Domain Names International (or one of the other ones) over registering them myself when they go live?

2. Is there a place I can check regularly to get a REAL release date. Like who's in charge here?!?

My clients will be SORELY disappointed in me if I don't make this happen!

[Justin]

1. Is there a reason to pre-register with a place like Domain Names International (or one of the other ones) over registering them myself when they go live?
If you have a domain name in mind, this is the only way to ensure it will be available when that time comes... Otherwise you might let it get away ;)[nbsp][nbsp] Imagine the rush to register all of the good domain names when it does happen :)

As for where to find info/when/etc I have no clue - I haven't been keeping up with any of that.[nbsp][nbsp]Domain names are Deb's department ;)

------------------
Justin Nelson
FutureQuest Support

[ddunlap]

I'm just wondering if they (the registrars) can register it any faster than I can, perhaps I overestimate my abilities :) Will they be clamoring with the rest of us, or do they have a secret passage or something? Deb?

I am thinking I may pre-register with them AND try to register it myself since they say they will only charge if the domain registration goes through.

I wish we could have just an HOUR head start :)

[Deb]

I wish I had all those answers ... I honestly don't though:/

The most I can tell you is the standpoint I took as an end user in this area...

Yes, I admit, I'm addicted to domain names... some like stamps, my son likes coins, I like domain names! What can I say?[nbsp][nbsp]I own WAY TOO MANY OF THEM[nbsp][nbsp](for absolutely no reason) and I'm constantly wishing I had this or that one to add to the list.[nbsp][nbsp]I have to laugh when I would get stacks of notices from Netsol via snail mail as Terra would toss them at me one by one explaining why I need help and wondering when I would get over my "virtual gambling debt" hehe...

Soooo as a result, Yes... I went ahead and pre-registered a large amount of domains with the new TLDs and tossed them the credit card number -- shhhhhhh do NOT tell TeRRa about this![nbsp][nbsp]I have not been charged yet, since the domains are not available yet.[nbsp][nbsp](We'll tell TeRRa about it after the charges go into affect *g*)

FutureQuest is quite a popular name -- It took us some time to be able to get the full set of net, com, and org... and we suffer daily with the .com domain name since it used to be owned by a "Make millions from working at home" scam company.[nbsp][nbsp]People constantly email us letting us know they sent the $39.95 and wanting to know where their booklets etc are *sigh*[nbsp][nbsp]In addition to that one we deal with an ISP in New Jersey who also call themselves FutureQuest -- guess who their angry customers call --- grrrr -- I'd prefer to avoid other companies taking our name on the net as much as possible and however I can (w/o doing anything cruel of course)

So, yes... if there is a particular name that you are just set that you must have -- I personally feel it can't hurt to try.[nbsp][nbsp]But will they ever be available????? Will they become a reality??? Is it just a hoax to see how many names they can sell without actually having any names to sell??? hehe I dunno -- I'm just a junky looking for a quick fix :þ

Deb

[Deb]

ROFL![nbsp][nbsp]We'll have to go out registrar hopping one night... never know who errr I mean what we might pick up ;)

No need to order the domains with us at this point... we couldn't really do anything with them anyway... just keep the printed receipt in your pocket and pray the net gawds make it a reality ;)

Deb

[ddunlap]

Ooooh, Deb. You made it all sound SO tempting, so exciting... I just HAD to get some of my own :) I went to domains international and registered one. It was so good, I just had to have another one, then another. Next thing you know, I'm hooked. Then I'm buyin' for other people, and I'm thinking you know just one more and I'll be satisfied, but I'm not and.....And it's all because of YOU. :)

So, I put FQ down as the server, do I need to register these with you guys now or do I wait until this thing actually happens (if ever?)

[tedloh]

No comment... except to say I registered like 40 TLDs a couple of months ago... LOL

Actually, I do have another thing I should point out - if you register a proposed TLD with a registrar, it does NOT guarantee you will get it - because once the proposal is approved, pre-registered names will be given to a central database (ICANN?) and then dealt back to the registrars who have taken a registration on that name - AT RANDOM.

ie.[nbsp][nbsp]If I registered Superstar.shop, and someone through another registrar also registered Superstar.shop, I would have a 50/50 chance of getting it.[nbsp][nbsp]The only way to get the TLD for sure is to register it at ALL TLD registrars!

So, I entered the wheel of fortune for about 40 TLDs... let me see which of them is best...[nbsp][nbsp]NOT including the extension... premier, prime, and superb are on my list at two registrars :)
------------------
Ted (Chief Do-It-All)
Tygre Systems Co Ltd
Bangkok, Thailand, Land of Smiles :) :)
http://www.tygresystems.com (work in progress)
ted@tygresystems.com

[Tatu]

Ugh! My entrepreneurial urges are killing me!

But I should have friggin pre-applied back a YEAR ago when I had the chance. I am sooo not even trying now, and resisting the force.

One time I had a chance to order a $450 beanie babies from England about 1 and 1/2 years ago for only $25 EACH! This was some tiny little shop somewhere in some really small town in England, and they happened to have a well-hidden website. So I got one of my friends to agree to use his credit card (I didn't have one then) and he was going to come over on Monday (we agreed on this the Friday before). Lo and behold, as I was going to the site and they had just stopped taking orders on the Sunday before. My lesson? Seize chances immediately, and I did NOT do that when new TLD plans were originally announced. :(

-Tatu

[Tatu]

Now that I think about it, the best bet would be to follow THE people behind the domains: www.ICANN.org (http://www.ICANN.org)

Specifically http://www.icann.org/general/faq1.htm#gtlds

-Tatu

PS: Many thanks to Ted for pointing me there earlier.

[ddunlap]

Thanks for the link! Looks like the same answer abounds everywhere - "uh we don't know". I really like the term at the end of the paragraph - cybersquatting :)[nbsp]