So, what are our alternatives? We could make it cheaper for a XXX site. It could be a free domain registration. It might make up for costs, however, anyone that wanted a free domain and didn't mind the stigma would be putting their non-porn site on the new XXX domain. That would be a dud solution.
The only effective solution I can see is to make the cost identical to any other domain name. You wouldn't be able to cure the stigma problem, but you would no longer be adding insult to injury. Countries could individually write legislation to require pornographic sites to be on the XXX domain as well. If the costs were identical to a regular domain there would be no legal problems with lifestyle discrimination for such legislation as well. Charging more for one lifestyle than for another would be problematic at best and downright unconstitutional at worst.
Overall, this is a great idea and a good step forward but the cost issues need to be worked on in order for this to actually function. I want to be able to filter out questionable material just as much as the next person, but I don't want it if we have to turn XXX into the pornographic concentration camp of the Internet.
Article comments
1 - Bennett
Very good points Jeremy. I too was skeptical about a "voluntary" move to a domain that cost "10 times as much".
Doesn't make much sense as altruism isn't something purveyors of porn have running out of their [ears].
By the way, where the heck do I go to get a $6 domain name???
That's a lot more than Network Solutions has been charging me for my business website (since 2000).
2 - Eric Olsen
Hi Jeremy, I understand your concerns in theory, but I also think $60 a year really is just a fart bubble for these sites. I think the industry peer pressure to make this work will be great because they know the alternative is involuntary
3 - jadester
well, i dunno about US-specific domains, but there are a number of places selling UK domains (.co.uk) at what they claim is cost, or even just under cost, @ about £3 (~$6)
4 - Lightning
You can get domain names at godaddy.com for a little more than $6... Network solutions is around $34 a year unless you purchase more than 1 year at a time...
Freakin' rediculous...
5 - Jeremy
The $6 is for just the domain name, no hosting included. Hosting runs much more than that.
The blog design company I'm with ( http://pumpingpixels.com ) goes through Hurricane Electric ( http://www.he.com ) which charges us something like $5 because we have a business with them.
If it was $60 for a full package I wouldn't complain about it. They're charging $60 for just the name. Should pornographers be FORCED to pay more than a standard site for their domain name? Isn't that sort of predjudicial against those in that lifestyle?
It's discrimination. Charging more because of what the content is constitutes discrimination. At least that's how I see it.
6 - Bennett
I agree Jeremy, it is discrimination, and it won't fly.
Bottom line, I'm getting hosed by Network Solutions. I think I pay $25 per year for the domain name registration. I have my website on jumpline.com and pay $24 a month for 300 megs and decent bandwidth.
Prices keep dropping, and I'll definitely have my domain registered through a different company next time around (2 years from last month).
7 - Lightning
Hey Bennett
Make sure you transfer your already registered domain(s) to the new registrar that you are moving to prior to your renewal. It may cost you a little bit extra, but then you can guarantee you are able to renew your domain names rather than lose them.
Your yearly fees will go down considerably and some registrars can give you a complete hosting package with 2Gb of space and 100Gb of monthly data access for $10/month. ex. Godaddy.com
My office presently deals with Network Solutions for our domain names. When we get closer to renewal, I'm going to talk the CEO into changing to somebody else. We're getting hosed by Network Solutions as well.
Good Luck!
By the way, Jeremy good article. I don't think any domain extension should cost more than another for that matter.
8 - Jeremy
Thanks for the compliment.
Just something from a low level web designer, DO NOT use GoDaddy. They are a web designer's worst nightmare. If this siter were to be upgraded to Movable Type 3.xx it could not be done on GoDaddy. The only thing GoDaddy has going for it are a couple of boobies on a superbowl ad. There are other services out there with a much better quality to service ratio.
(No, I'm not plugging mine. In un-plugging godaddy. Take if from someone who has tried to work with them.)
9 - Lightning
Thanks for the info Jeremy. I've been considering creating my own web server for blogs and the sort. I'm not sure which blogging software I want to go with. Your comment tells me that I like Moveable Type if that's what BlogCritics does use. I'll have to do some more research.
I presently do all my web-hosting myself and have a mirror server in New Orleans. So I'm not too concerned about the hosting. But you did give some good information. Boobies and all...