Good questions. In my opinion, Tucows has violated their agreement with this ploy.
They have often stated that a reseller can not take over a client's expired domain name, but they are doing that very same thing here. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Chuck Hatcher" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Scott Allan" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, December 20, 2001 7:47 AM Subject: Re: Tucows domain deletions > 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] >
