Well, in the meanwhile I decided to see if Network Solutions was still doing that game or not.

"Congratulations! The following domains are available:

champ-mitchell-is-a-domain-tasting-fag (.com, .net)

networksolutions-sucks-donkeydick (.com, .net)"

I guess we'll find out in the next few days!

"According to an ICANN study, in January 2007, a mere ten organizations accounted for 95 per cent of all deleted domain names."

And I'll bet at least 9 of those are in Boca Raton, Florida, USA, and are fronts for spammers.

Domain Name: CHAMP-MITCHELL-IS-A-DOMAIN-TASTING-FAG.COM

------------------------------------------------------------------------

This Domain is Available - Register it Now!

600,000 domain names are registered daily! Don't delay; there's no guarantee

that a domain name you see today will still be here tomorrow!

Register it Now at www.NetworkSolutions.com.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Administrative Contact, Technical Contact:

Network Solutions, LLC domainsupport@networksolutions.com

13681 Sunrise Valley Drive, Suite 300

HERNDON, VA 20171

US

1-888-642-9675 fax: 571-434-4620

Record expires on 30-Jan-2009.

Record created on 30-Jan-2008.

Database last updated on 30-Jan-2008 18:12:07 EST.

Domain servers in listed order:

ns1.reserveddomainname.com 205.178.190.55

ns2.reserveddomainname.com 205.178.189.55

Domain Name: NETWORKSOLUTIONS-SUCKS-DONKEYDICK.COM

Registrar: NETWORK SOLUTIONS, LLC.

Whois Server: whois.networksolutions.com

Referral URL: http://www.networksolutions.com

Name Server: NS1.RESERVEDDOMAINNAME.COM

Name Server: NS2.RESERVEDDOMAINNAME.COM

Status: clientHold

Updated Date: 30-jan-2008

Creation Date: 30-jan-2008

Expiration Date: 30-jan-2009

Here's hoping legitimate registrars will do their part by offering to refund all but that $0.20/year for a certain grace period for those who typo. I'd hate to be in the position of telling one of those people that their incompetent spelling habits has them out more than $5. I'd even less like to be telling someone that my co-worker's incompetent spelling habits has cost them the full price we charge to customers rather than just the ICANN fee.

--an employee of a Network Solutions competitor

That sounds like, well, it would work. It's a relatively elegant soloution to the issue and it still means a genuine mis-typing means a $0.20 loss.

So what if people get charged $5 for a typo. That'll learn 'em to get it right. Perhaps, if a registrar wants to be nice, the domain doesn't get activated until the user replies to a confirmation email (which will naturally urge them to double-check the spelling of the domain name).

As for Network Solutions, good riddance - I truly hope that measure severely screws their business "model".

That was amazing, JK.

The AGP was introduced to solve a "problem" that didn't exist. Board-members have admitted that it was a mistake, and really just introduced by mistake by an eager employee and overlooked when it passed the board's review. Why does it then take years to get it removed. One would almost suspect ICANN officials of having financial interests in the scams who profit from it ;)

I've got over a thousand domains and only one of those was an accidental typo. I have no sympathy for someone who registers a domain with a typo in it, they should just pay the cost of their registration. It will teach them to be more careful next time.

Doesn't the UK distance selling law mean you've got to have a "get out"?

I remember when you had a whole YEAR to pay for your domain name (if it wasn't a year, it was close to that anyway)

I used to register a name, have fun with it for a year, decide whether to keep it or not, those were the days!!

I trust that El Reg readers will all act responsibly, and not do anything so inconsiderate and irresponsible as setting up a bot to automatically search for vast numbers of domains on the Network Solutions site.

You seem to have a fixation with homosexuality. Are you trying to tell us something?

They should talk with us, brazilians. Here the domain registering is MUCH more sensible.

To get a ".org.br" I must have a non-lucrative operation. To get a ".com.br" I must have a business, and ".net.br" is for telecommunications. There are dozens others, but I believe You got the gist...

We pay R$ 30,00/year (roughly 16 american dollars) for a domain. Yes, it's much more expensive - but our domain tree is nice and clean. Go there (registro.br), make a search! No Cyber-squatter, no domain-taster and there isn't this pile of redirects due to mistyped URLs.

Shure, if I make a typo in my domain registration I'll have to pay the full year tax. But, so what? Why should the registar take care of my domain spelling? As long as I'm not registering something like "microsoft-br.com.br" (wich is forbidden, by the way)... they shouldn't worry about what I typed.

"That sounds like, well, it would work."

Yes, and since I've just patented the internet business-method of charging for something when it's received and NOT later, I'll make a mint!

Well, then, I can see an alternative solution to the problem: That's a small enough target set to make military action against them a realistic proposition.

Hell, probably even the US Army could handle a job that small without screwing it up.

I can't spell for loev nor mony but with the 400+ domains I have registered for clients I haven't made one single screw up. The reason for this?, if I know it's going to cost me money I double check everything, which isn't too hard now is it?.