safe domain name whois lookup
I have long been suspicious of certain whois tools "monitoring" names typed in and then stealing the name for them selves if it is free.
A couple of years ago I ran a whois on a list of possible domain names for my new site and found a really great one was free, two days later I went to purchase it and it was gone! Well apart from pissing me off, it made me very careful now and every time I have purchased a domain name since I have deliberately waited until I am ready to purchase to go through and find a domain name that is free and get it immediately.
The problem is that sometimes you may want to find a few free domains and give your self a week so you can think about which is best.
1) Is there a law against sites stealing your domain name ideas?
2) Is there a trusted site that is perhaps government run?
A couple of years ago I ran a whois on a list of possible domain names for my new site and found a really great one was free, two days later I went to purchase it and it was gone! Well apart from pissing me off, it made me very careful now and every time I have purchased a domain name since I have deliberately waited until I am ready to purchase to go through and find a domain name that is free and get it immediately.
The problem is that sometimes you may want to find a few free domains and give your self a week so you can think about which is best.
1) Is there a law against sites stealing your domain name ideas?
2) Is there a trusted site that is perhaps government run?
ya..
whois.com
whois.com
ASKER
Are these independent or government sites?
I agree with m8rix -- I think the main sites indeed DO catalog the requests they put into their search, and then someone later checks to see if they are good names, they register them, and then sell them.
I do NOT trust whois.com, or internic.net, or ANY major domain lookup. I have tested them like m8rix has, and found that they do theive domain names untaken, although it is hard to prove without subpoenas.
I would take the opposite tack, m8rix -- I would use a small domain search that no one thinks for, and which only hotlinks to a major site like whois. The one I use is -- http://www.mydiscountdomains.com/ --
Do your searches there, it interactively tells you which is available and which is not, in real time javascript -- ans since they cache the database directly, your queries NEVER get to the big thieves. I have found that any searches I do there, no one ever gets the domain name before you do.
Good luck, and always be wary of big companies using you for their own profit.
I do NOT trust whois.com, or internic.net, or ANY major domain lookup. I have tested them like m8rix has, and found that they do theive domain names untaken, although it is hard to prove without subpoenas.
I would take the opposite tack, m8rix -- I would use a small domain search that no one thinks for, and which only hotlinks to a major site like whois. The one I use is -- http://www.mydiscountdomains.com/ --
Do your searches there, it interactively tells you which is available and which is not, in real time javascript -- ans since they cache the database directly, your queries NEVER get to the big thieves. I have found that any searches I do there, no one ever gets the domain name before you do.
Good luck, and always be wary of big companies using you for their own profit.
ASKER
Thanks for your reply scrathcyboy, however I don't think I can trust your answer on face value.
From the ICANN site I found this:
"VeriSign is the authoritative directory provider of all .com, .net, .cc, and .tv domain names"
and on the VeriSign site http://www.mydiscountdomains.com is not listed as a Certified .COM or .NET Registrar
http://www.verisign.com/information-services/naming-services/com-net-registry/page_002166.html#M
My guess is that they are a reseller. I would NEVER trust resellers, because there is more chance that they are corrupt than a certified registrar. Also they will often hide who they actually purchase the domains from.
At this stage I think I would be most likely to trust InterNIC or VeriSign
From the ICANN site I found this:
"VeriSign is the authoritative directory provider of all .com, .net, .cc, and .tv domain names"
and on the VeriSign site http://www.mydiscountdomains.com is not listed as a Certified .COM or .NET Registrar
http://www.verisign.com/information-services/naming-services/com-net-registry/page_002166.html#M
My guess is that they are a reseller. I would NEVER trust resellers, because there is more chance that they are corrupt than a certified registrar. Also they will often hide who they actually purchase the domains from.
At this stage I think I would be most likely to trust InterNIC or VeriSign
well you totally missed the point -- but go ahead.
ASKER
@scrathcyboy > I am not dismissing your answer, I was just hoping you could defend it with some supporting evidence. (That's what I meant by "face value" meaning "no real proof")
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Is there a trusted *whois lookup* site that is perhaps government run?