[thelist] Quickie rant about Verio.

Chris Montgomery monty at astutia.com
Fri Mar 16 00:47:48 CST 2001


Here's an interesting and timely article about Verio snipped from today's
CNET Web Building Dispatch:

<begin paste>
-----Original Message-----
From: CNET Builder.com [mailto:CNET_BUILDER_MARCH_2001 at one.digital.cnet.com]
Sent: Thursday, March 15, 2001 11:03 AM
Subject: A lawsuit waiting to happen

CNET Web Building Dispatch
A lawsuit waiting to happen
March 15, 2001
Vol. 3, No. 3

********Get the HTML version of this newsletter at:*********
www.cnet.com/webbuilding/0-3880-8-5111793-1.html
******************************************************************

A lawsuit waiting to happen

If you own a domain but haven't built a Web page for it yet,
your URL may lead to someone else's advertisement. Builder
reader Richard Florkes bought his domain, sugab.com, five
years ago and left it parked at Network Solutions. Recently
he pointed at the URL with his browser and found a large
advertisement for Verio's domain-name registration services.
A small notice mentioned that Verio did not own that domain.

Florkes has put up his own site since then, but Verio's
advertising could easily have led to a lawsuit. The owner
of the domain should have a right to collect fees for
carrying Verio's advertising. According to Verio
spokesperson Mona Peloquin, the company puts a placeholder
on any Verio-registered domain name where the owner hasn't
yet built a site. Verio considers this a service to the
domain owner because, Peloquin says, "Domain name registrants
are required to have an active Web site associated with the
designated IP address within six weeks of registration."
The "active Web site" requirement may be Verio policy,
but ICANN doesn't seem to follow it. Of course, Florkes
bought his domain before you had to provide a host, and
the rules should be grandfathered for your registration date.

None of this addresses the essential mystery here, that
Florkes' domain is registered at Network Solutions, not Verio.
Did Verio hijack the domain from the Network Solutions
database, or is there a deal between Verio and Network
Solutions to host inactive domains? Either way, if you own
any domains that you aren't using, you might want to check
to see if Verio's running advertising at your expense.

Do you have an opinion? Let us know in the Builder Buzz:
buzz.builder.com/cgi-bin/WebX?13@@.ee86c61

"Hurricane" Wayne Cunningham
Senior editor
CNET Builder.com
</end paste>

Chris Montgomery             monty at astutia.com

Web Development & Consulting http://www.astutia.com
Allaire Consulting Partner
210-490-3249/888-745-7603    Fax 210-490-4692
AIM: astutiaweb; ICQ: 7381282





More information about the thelist mailing list