I must not be on enough or the right lists...but what's the deal with
worldnic.com? I'd not heard anything about it until today. I tried to
move a domain (a .org domain) for a customer today, and got the following
reply from domreg@internic.net:
Thank you for contacting Network Solutions, Inc., InterNIC
Registration Services.
The domain name you are attempting to update was registered
through WorldNIC Services and should be updated via the following
URL:
http://www.worldnic.com
This looks like Network Solutions taking advantage of its position as
controller of the big three commercially used TLDs to find new ways to dip
their fingers into another part of the pie...perhaps in anticipation of
losing their monopoly on domain registrations.
What does my ISP need to do to get setup with Network Solutions such that
anytime someone wants to modify a domain registered through us, the
request is bounced litterally saying "you can't do that, go talk to FDT
about it."?
well, at least it's worldnic.com and not thedotorgpeople.com.
for .com registrations, network solutions is pushing folks to
thedotcompeople.com, at $119 for two years registration. i'm
sad to see that all of the paranoia about network solutions
abusing their monopoly status were true, and i'm hoping very
much that becky burr's presentation tomorrow absolutely guts
the network solutions monopoly.
No, you just don't read the right magazines; they've been advertising
this bit o' drivel for months now. They're "repositioning" themselves,
I'd say; you see: InterNIC has a bad reputation around these here
parts.
But "WorldNIC" doesn't; ain't it great?!
Cheers,
-- jra
Hadn't noticed; not remotely surprised.
-- jra
WorldNIC charges for looking up domains (basically doing a whois) --
some others charge for this too.
IIRC.
What I thought was kinda funny, was that CNBC this morning had
a prime time morning rush commercial for TheDotComPeople.com,
and yet the website is still down, and if you Email their admin
whois contact, it bounces. go figure....
Cheers,
-Christopher Knight
SparkNET Interactive
Ah, but is so often the case, the devil is in the details. According to
the NSI press releases (you must use the search function at www.netsol.com
to find them), WorldNIC is aimed at businesses (although you can also
register .net and .org in addition to .com at WorldNIC), not people.
For the privilege of using their fast, secure cgi-based registration
process, your business pays a premium of $49 (registration docs indicate
$119, $70 to InterNIC and $49 for WorldNIC....but their FAQ says $80).
Seems that WorldNIC is nothing more than a front-end for InterNIC that
provides quick and easy registration for a premium price.
Raises some questions...why can't InterNIC use this quick and easy
registration process instead of the pain-in-the-&)(& template system? It's
the same damn company. The cynical mind has a couple of reasons, but an
official answer would be nice.
Shouldn't WorldNIC be required to note somewhere they and InterNIC are
sister companies under Network Solutions? NSI seems to have gone out of
their way to portray the two as very seperate entities, when the truth is
quite different (of course, their press releases also fail to mention that
they built the domain egistration system with the help, finances and
guidance of the USG, so the portrayal is no major surpise).
What do spammers and nails have in common? They're both intended for
hammering.
Dean Robb
PC-Easy
On-site computer services
(757) 495-EASY [3279]