Ask HN: The importance your domain (.com vs .io) • Hacker News Board

Re: Ask HN: The importance your domain (.com vs .io)

#11

Post by wmboy » Thu, Feb 24, 2011, 2:56 AM UTC

jonny_eh wrote: post #5

I think at first it doesn't matter. Facebook was originally thefacebook.com, delicious.com was del.ico.us, dropbox was getdropbox.com. I know those examples are all .com, but the point is that you can change your domain once your product gains traction and you have a proven product. Then you can spend the big bucks on the domain you really want.

Yeah, most people will get to you via a Google search. Then when you're big enough you can legally claim the prized .com URL from the squatters.

...just check first that it's not a legitimate company using the .com address.

Re: Ask HN: The importance your domain (.com vs .io)

#12

Post by ck2 » Thu, Feb 24, 2011, 4:17 AM UTC

I typically live by the rule of not using a non-com TLD unless you actually own the com-TLD

It can lead to a bad situation, what if a existing site on the com domain closes and someone puts a porn site or worse on the com with your prefix ?

Re: Ask HN: The importance your domain (.com vs .io)

#13

Post by kruegerb » Thu, Feb 24, 2011, 5:09 AM UTC

I'm working on a startup with a friend and past colleague and the domain we want is (not surprisingly) already registered. It is not a parked domain, but it is simply a graphic for some technology group with an "All rights reserved" from 2000 and a mailto link.

We emailed the owner of the domain and asked if the person would entertain offers to buy the domain and received the simple response:

"The domain is not for sale"

I'm curious, has anyone ever encountered a stonewall on a domain like this and was anyone successful prying it away from the squatters with a generous offer?

If you are squatting on a domain for over 10 years without putting it to use, isn't there always some amount of money you would sell it for?

Re: Ask HN: The importance your domain (.com vs .io)

#14

Post by cfinke » Thu, Feb 24, 2011, 5:58 AM UTC

WillyF wrote: post #9

beck5 wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I hope everyone agrees del.ico.us was the worst URL in history

del.icio.us

I think you've proven beck5's point.

Re: Ask HN: The importance your domain (.com vs .io)

#15

Post by rand1234 » Thu, Feb 24, 2011, 8:13 AM UTC

jonny_eh wrote: post #5

I think at first it doesn't matter. Facebook was originally thefacebook.com, delicious.com was del.ico.us, dropbox was getdropbox.com. I know those examples are all .com, but the point is that you can change your domain once your product gains traction and you have a proven product. Then you can spend the big bucks on the domain you really want.

I had a similar question. I had planned on registering a domain name a week back for a webapp/blog that we were developing, which at that point was available, however as of now, the domain.com is gone. It was registered yesterday. Should I settle for that domain.net/org or go with something like theDomain.com ? Are there any implications ?

Re: Ask HN: The importance your domain (.com vs .io)

#16

Post by metachris » Thu, Feb 24, 2011, 2:26 PM UTC

kruegerb wrote: post #13

I'm working on a startup with a friend and past colleague and the domain we want is (not surprisingly) already registered. It is not a parked domain, but it is simply a graphic for some technology group with an "All rights reserved" from 2000 and a mailto link. We emailed the owner of the domain and asked if the person would entertain offers to buy the domain and received the simple response: "The domain is not for s…

Only because a domain has no content doesn't mean it's only parked. It may actually be in use for email and maybe other internal things.

Re: Ask HN: The importance your domain (.com vs .io)

#17

Post by petervandijck » Fri, Feb 25, 2011, 8:41 AM UTC

kruegerb wrote: post #13

I'm working on a startup with a friend and past colleague and the domain we want is (not surprisingly) already registered. It is not a parked domain, but it is simply a graphic for some technology group with an "All rights reserved" from 2000 and a mailto link. We emailed the owner of the domain and asked if the person would entertain offers to buy the domain and received the simple response: "The domain is not for s…

Everything is for sale for the right price. Make them an actual offer. If they still say no, your offer wasn't high enough.

Re: Ask HN: The importance your domain (.com vs .io)

#18

Post by petervandijck » Fri, Feb 25, 2011, 8:42 AM UTC

Here's what I do, especially for web apps: choose a great name, then get the myGREATNAME.com or getGREATNAME.com

It worked for dropbox, Mint and 37 sigs.

Re: Ask HN: The importance your domain (.com vs .io)

#19

Post by petervandijck » Fri, Feb 25, 2011, 8:43 AM UTC

japaget wrote: post #4

Our corporate IT department blocks most foreign domains, such as .ly, .io, .tv, and .ng. A special exception has been made for bit.ly, but this won't help me with your new startup.

LOVE corporate IT. They should sell t-shirts that say that. And wear them ironically.

Re: Ask HN: The importance your domain (.com vs .io)

#20

Post by sagacity » Fri, Feb 25, 2011, 10:37 AM UTC

jonny_eh wrote: post #5

I think at first it doesn't matter. Facebook was originally thefacebook.com, delicious.com was del.ico.us, dropbox was getdropbox.com. I know those examples are all .com, but the point is that you can change your domain once your product gains traction and you have a proven product. Then you can spend the big bucks on the domain you really want.

> change your domain once your product gains traction and you have a proven product. Then you can spend the big bucks on the domain you really want.

Makes sense but at the same time, I guess there would be no harm in trying to get (buy) it at a lower price right from the beginning.