Monday, November 1, 1999arizona republic
registering a domain name requires thought
kim komando
kim komando's komputer klinic
OK so you've hemmed and hawed and hesitated, and now you're finally ready to
register your own domain name. You know, as in mydomainname.com. What next?
Chances are, you're interested in a com or net domain name (or maybe a org name for your nonprofit organization). Until a few months ago, a company called Network Solutions ( http://www.networksolu tions.com ) was the only game in town. That's because they had an exclusive government contract to manage all the com, org and net domain names in this country. But last spring five other companies
awarded the rights to register were a domain names, and many more others were expected to be in business by now. This was all supposed to drive prices down.
Surprisingly, not a whole lot has happened with these alternative registrars. Sure, you can go to Register.com to register your domain name now, but it still costs the same $70 for the first two years and $35 each year thereafter.
No matter how you happen to register your domain name, there's one problem. There are only so many meaningful words or expressions you can, tack in front of .org or net. Plus, it's becoming increasing popular for larger companies to register variations of their primary domain name - including unflattering variations - just to make sure other people don't encroach on their cyberterritory.
For example, brokerage biggie Morgan Stanley Dean Witter recently decided ( about four years after everyone else) to register a domain name. It chose msdwonline. Oops! That names already been taken by a mountain biking site called Mud Sweat's Downhill World.
Instead of picking another domain name that would probably be catchier, Morgan Stanley has decided to pursue this name in court. In the past, large companies have prevailed in obtaining domain