Your message didn't so much "shed light" as raise more questions:
Does this testing occur only between day 40 and 45, or does it affect the date expired domain names are released to the public? We tell our customers exactly what will happen if they fail to renew their domain name, and if we are giving out bad information we need to know about it. Does Tucows, as registrar, have a "right" to do anything with an expired domain name other than hold it for 40 days and then release it? I have always considered it a conflict of interest to try and catch one of my customers' expired and dropped names for my own benefit, because I would then have incentive to not try as hard to get owners of valuable domain names to renew them, and my actions could be perceived as opportunistic and despicable (of course some would say anyone who registers a dropped domain name is despicable). Let's try a scenario where I, an OpenSRS reseller, do something similar: >From now on, when a customer fails to renew their domain name by the expiration date, I, the reseller, will auto-renew the registration, but change the DNS entries to point to a web page of mine, with lots of paid advertising. (I will also change the admin contact email address and password.) If the customer complains, I will offer to give the domain name back to them (maybe charging a hefty "late fee" for missing the deadline). Ignoring the negative goodwill I generate with my customers, who will probably be moving to another registrar very quickly, have I done anything wrong? This could be a good idea. The page could have a link that says "This domain name is expired, to renew, click here...". What do you think? If the rights of "ownership" extend beyond the expiration date, then Tucows should not be allowed to activate an expired domain name with new DNS servers. If it does not, then a reseller should be allowed to "take over" a domain name once it expires. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Scott Allan" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, December 20, 2001 9:58 AM Subject: Re: Tucows domain deletions > I can shed some light on this. We are doing some product development > research into expired names. Recently, we have seen an increased interest > in this market, and we are developing some products to address it. You can > expect more changes (for testing purposes) to our "post-40-day" name > handling over the coming weeks. > > At this time, we hope to offer a robust broad service to our entire channel > in early March. You can count on hearing about it on this list once we have > something more concrete as a concept to test. > > Regards, > > sA > > > At 05:38 PM 12/19/01 -0500, zxcvb wrote: > > Tucows is now taking over domains that used to be deleted from their > >system. Below is one example for oceanis.org. Instead of deleting a > >domain after 40 days the DNS is changed to DIRECTSEEK.COM in order to > >count the number of clicks. Even the DNS is wildcarded so that > >*.example.com goes to the DIRECTSEEK.COM server to be counted. I don't > >know who DIRECTSEEK.COM is. Their web page is a search portal that > >opens up some pop-up windows and tries to change your home page. Their > >whois records show the domain is registered through Dotster. > > > >I have asked Tucows several times if DIRECTSEEK.COM domains will be > >transferred directly to DIRECTSEEK.COM and I cannot get an answer. If > >they were setting up a service to compete with SnapNames I can > >understand that but taking over deleted domains and counting clicks goes > >way beyond that. Whenever I ask about what is going on I am told it is > >a "testbed." > > > >Awhile back I had a discussion about a similar situation about domains > >which were registered and then a chargebacks were issued. I got big > >long-winded answers from Ross Rader and Scott Allen how they didn't want > >to violate any provisions in the ICANN contracts because they wanted to > >be around for a long time. Now they are involved in the shenanigans > >described above and they won't give a straight answer. > > > >-- > > > > ==== > > > > WHOIS whois.opensrs.net oceanis.org: > > > >Registrant: > > > > Tucows marked for deletion > > 96 Mowat Avenue > > Toronto, Ontario M6K3M1 > > CA > > > > Domain Name: OCEANIS.ORG > > > > Administrative Contact: > > > > Tucows, [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > 96 Mowat Avenue > > Toronto, Ontario M6K3M1 > > CA > > 416-535-0123 > > > > Technical Contact: > > Tucows, [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > 96 Mowat Avenue > > Toronto, Ontario M6K3M1 > > CA > > 416-535-0123 > > > > Billing Contact: > > Tucows, [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > 96 Mowat Avenue > > Toronto, Ontario M6K3M1 > > CA > > 416-535-0123 > > > > Record last updated on 17-Dec-2001. > > Record expires on 06-Nov-2001. > > Record Created on 06-Nov-2000. > > > > Domain servers in listed order: > > NS2.DIRECTSEEK.COM 216.187.118.219 > > NS1.DIRECTSEEK.COM 216.187.118.218 > > > > === > > > >Domain names in the .com, .net, and .org domains can now be registered > >with many different competing registrars. Go to http://www.internic.net > >for detailed information. > > > > Domain Name: DIRECTSEEK.COM > > Registrar: DOTSTER, INC. > > Whois Server: whois.dotster.com > > Referral URL: http://www.dotster.com/help/whois > > Name Server: NS1.DIRECTSEEK.COM > > Name Server: NS2.DIRECTSEEK.COM > > Updated Date: 01-dec-2001 > > > > > > >>> Last update of whois database: Wed, 19 Dec 2001 05:16:44 EST <<< > > > >The Registry database contains ONLY .COM, .NET, .ORG, .EDU domains and > >Registrars. > > > > > >------------------------------------------------------------------------ > >-------- > > > >WHOIS whois.dotster.com directseek.com: > > > > > > The data contained in Dotster, Inc.'s WHOIS database, while > >believed by the company to be reliable, is provided "as is", > >with no guarantee or warranties regarding its accuracy. This > >information is provided for the sole purpose of assisting you > >in obtaining information about domain name registration records. > >Any use of this data for any other purpose, including, but not > >limited to, allowing or making possible dissemination or > >collection of this data in part or in its entirety for any > >purpose, such as the transmission of unsolicited advertising and > >solicitations, is expressly forbidden without the prior written > >permission of Dotster, Inc. By submitting an inquiry, you agree > >to these terms of usage and limitations of warranty. > >Please limit your queries to 10 per minute and one connection. > > > >Registrant: > > PTI > > W.R.P.O Box 75149 > > White Rock, BC V4B 5L3 > > CA > > > > Registrar: Dotster (http://www.dotster.com) > > Domain Name: DIRECTSEEK.COM > > Created on: 16-NOV-01 > > Expires on: 13-NOV-03 > > Last Updated on: 16-NOV-01 > > > > Administrative Contact: > > Schilling, Frank [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > PTI > > W.R.P.O. Box 75149 > > White Rock, BC V4B 5L3 > > CA > > 604-536-1811 > > > > Technical Contact: > > Schilling, Frank [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > PTI > > W.R.P.O. Box 75149 > > White Rock, BC V4B 5L3 > > CA > > 604-536-1811 > > > > > > Domain servers in listed order: > > NS1.DIRECTSEEK.COM > > NS2.DIRECTSEEK.COM > > > >Register a domain name at www.dotster.com > > > >End of Whois Information > > > > > > > > > > > > Scott Allan > Director OpenSRS > [EMAIL PROTECTED]
