Pre-branded domain names for startups • Hacker News Board

Re: Pre-branded domain names for startups

#201

Post by rprasad » Fri, Sep 30, 2011, 7:30 AM UTC

phillmv wrote: post #114

tptacek wrote: post #105

Earlier quoted context omitted.

First, it's a logotype. Some of the world's most recognizable logos are, like this, logotypes. Second, professional designers do not give you the rights to the typeface they use for their logotypes. You ask them, they obtain them, and then they invoice you the several hundred dollars the logotype cost them. Third, why would you want the font used for this particular logo? It's a terrible display font. Its only value…

>First, it's a logotype. Some of the world's most recognizable logos are, like this, logotypes. I'm willing to accept this. Point to your favour. >Third, why would you want the font used for this particular logo? Because I might want to tweak it, resize it, use it on letterheads, put it on my business card, create sub products that follow the "brand style", etc. A vector drawing at the minimum is essential. That said…

Crucial point you are ignoring: if you do not have the rights to the font, then you do not have the rights to the derivative works based on the font.

A license to use an image does not necessarily include the license to use the elements making up the image.

Re: Pre-branded domain names for startups

#202

Post by Tichy » Fri, Sep 30, 2011, 8:28 AM UTC

The vuaro logo is amusing. Nothing communicates usability and ease of mind as well as a labyrinth :-)

Other than that I am not that impressed, the logos look pretty generic/standard. Maybe that kind of thing could work for small businesses (like restaurants), though.

Re: Pre-branded domain names for startups

#203

Post by Maro » Fri, Sep 30, 2011, 9:22 AM UTC

If a hypothetical person (not a HN user) thinks of a domain name and find that these guys are squatting it, is not interested in the design, he'll be thinking they're domain squatting assholes. He'll be right.

Re: Pre-branded domain names for startups

#204

Post by llch » Fri, Sep 30, 2011, 10:03 AM UTC

paulnelligan wrote: post #21

I'm not sure I agree that this is such a 'superb idea' ... As a founder, I want to personalise my domain, and design, and that means coming up with different concepts, and searching whois until I find a good match that's available ... The design then has to represent what the product is about in a non-generic way ... The designs on this site are far too generic for my taste I can't imagine myself going to that page w…

An idea for using this service is that you want to validate your idea through landing page as a MVP.

Re: Pre-branded domain names for startups

#205

Post by fybren » Fri, Sep 30, 2011, 10:25 AM UTC

There's definitely a market for this, and it saddens me.

Choosing a name is supposed to be difficult. You're supposed to brainstorm for hours, bounce ideas off your friends and second guess yourself. Having to go through this pain to get to the right name adds character to the business through authenticity.

Choosing a name from a list of pre-created brands, clever or not, is a cop out.

Best of luck, though. I'm sure you'll do well.

Re: Pre-branded domain names for startups

#206

Post by sneak » Fri, Sep 30, 2011, 11:06 AM UTC

larrys wrote: post #188

sneak wrote: post #184

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> What would your suggestion be as far as a policy that could have stopped domain squatting? I've often thought of this. I think $500/year or $1000/year is an entirely reasonable price for a .com domain, and would immediately clear out mountains of cruft. Even $50 or $100/year would get 50-75% of it.

True it would certainly cut down significantly on people registering domain names on speculation. But it would also prevent many people from getting their own site because of the cost. I don't think you would have many people taking as many chances as has happened with the current pricing. Lowering costs has helped the net even though there are undesirable consequences as with anything.

Sovereign countries would still be able to do whatever they wanted in their own gTLDs, so I doubt it would actually reduce the number of sites people have.

Some .ly domain works just as well as a .com, technically.

It would just get rid of all the noise in com/net/org.

Re: Pre-branded domain names for startups

#207

Post by LogoBids » Fri, Sep 30, 2011, 3:36 PM UTC

A lot of people are talking about domain squatting.

I own LunchMeet.com and paid 5 figures for it when at the time I intended to develop a startup.

Now I want to sell it. Is it squatting if I am just trying to get my money back?

Re: Pre-branded domain names for startups

#208

Post by lurker19 » Fri, Sep 30, 2011, 10:50 PM UTC

jleader wrote: post #185

phillmv wrote: post #115

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think a reasonable argument to make against domain squatting is that those who do it as a business… are just charging you a fee solely because they thought of it first. It feels very much like a pure wealth transfer from me to a more entrenched player. It's somewhat analogous to say most software patents, in that their sole purpose seems to be enacting a social cost. You're not going to do anything with that patent…

Do you find it reasonable that people can "own" domain names? I think so, because unlike a software patent, a domain name is really hard to share with everyone simultaneously. Do you think people should be allowed to buy and sell things they own? All arbitrage is a "pure wealth transfer", but it's also how we increase the liquidity of markets. If someone else is using a domain name you'd like to use, and they're will…

Because defunct property can be condemned.

Re: Pre-branded domain names for startups

#209

Post by brackin » Sun, Oct 02, 2011, 4:29 AM UTC

wildmXranat wrote: post #69

No! A $7.99 domain name and what looks like to me a $99 logo thrown is not a steal or a good deal. Let me come at this way: Can I get the domain off of you for %80 off the $250 price ? I presume that the answer is no, because it's a lipstick on pig product designed to glorify domain squatting. All the power to you for finding a niche market, but suckers be warned that it's highway robbery! edit: downvoted within 2 mi…

I've spent 2 weeks coming up with a name as for me having a good name is important. It's not number one but I know that good names exist so I put the effort in and go through hundreds of names. Using every tool out there before I usually come to one or two that would work.

This is great, I see two or three on there that'd work for a prototype i'm working on and may decide to release as a proper app.

Saves precious time and is worth it. Some half decent logos as well.

Re: Pre-branded domain names for startups

#210

Post by joeyespo » Sun, Oct 02, 2011, 8:18 PM UTC

Until these pre-branded domains are actually bought and used, it seems like such a waste. There have been so many domains I would have loved to purchase that are blocked by some "value-adding" gimmick.

At first, it's interesting. But think about it. Pre-purchasing domains throwing a brand on top is really as bad as implementing a software/web application without doing any market research. Chances are it's really not what people want. Unlike dead software/web apps, however, these domain names become worse than useless by block others from making something great.