Update: Hello again. Last night I uploaded to Wikipedia a comprehensive article on domaining and the domain name industry. I attempted to explain how rich and diverse the industry is, and that the majority of its members were good people doing good things.

My article, which contained abundant resources and links, has been pared down to about 10 or 20% of its original content. However, there is now a good chance that domaining and domainers will no longer be redirected to “cybersquatting”. Below is my letter to Wikipedia admins on their renewed interest in working with me on defining “domaining” and representing more accurately the reputation of those who work in and around the domain name industry. Please help me, if you will, to get the message out.

My Response To Wikipedia Admins & Content Reviewers

I would like to respond with a few comments. I do understand that the number of links I submitted in the Domaining article was excessive. I was trying to provide a picture of the domain industry, and domainers, as a legitimate group who are ethical, well-organized and who do not deserve to be associated with the crime of cybersquatting. While my comments were perceived as “biased” by one Wikipedia commenter, I can only say that his perception is a projection, and a gross overgeneralization which itself cannot be justified.

We all know that cybersquatting exists and is wrong, but if one were to visit the domainer sites and tradeshows, reference our trade associations, and work within the greater industry, then you would see just how unjust it is that the whole domain name industry has been characterized at Wikipedia as cybersquatters or scammers. Ironically, I find those statements to be born of extreme ignorance of our industry and heavily injected with personal bias against all people who invest in domain names for whatever reasons.

I know that what I am sharing here is factual and objective, not merely subjective, but it is hard to prove a negative, i.e. that the majority of domainers don’t engage in cybersquatting. This is why I tried to provide so many links … so that I could provide Wikipedia staff, and eventually their users, with the names and faces of real people, real businesses, and a greater context around our industry that has absolutely nothing to do with cybersquatting.

An example for the reviewers of Wikipedia which will hopefully illustrate my point. Suppose one Wikipedia administrator was convicted of a terrible crime, and by association all wikipedia admins suddenly began being accused of the same terrible crimes and were castigated publicly. For one, we know that you are not responsible for the bad acts of another person, and ultimately his poor choices do not reflect on you personally or negate all of the good will and collective hard work done at Wikipedia. This parallels the damage that was being done by redirecting domaining and domainers to cybersquatting. The bad acts of a relative minority were being used to humiliate and disparage a large group of people who have worked ethically and responsibly for years, and always within the law and within their rights of domain name registration.

Thank you for being willing to work with me on this important subject. Domainers, as a large group, are basically investors, internet enthusiasts, and people who have careers in a variety of fields. They are reasonable people with families, the same hopes and dreams as everyone else. And moreover, have notable achievements in life. The extensive list of domainers I provided to you, and their associated websites (in my original submission), are a small representative sample of the quality of individuals involved in the domain name industry. One of my investment partners is a licensed psychiatrist working everyday to help people with mental health disorders. Another of my domainer friends heads a non-profit fund raising organization. Yet another is a professor of economics at a major university. Many of my peers are attorneys, stay at home moms, realtors, high-level techies, college students, you name it. This diverse group of people interested in domaining are everyday people with intact values and a guiding set of principles that govern their choices in life. And they have specifically avoided internet crimes and cybersquatting. I know this on a personal level which is why I was so incensed and outraged that a couple of Wikipedia admins took it upon themselves to publicly denigrate so many reputable people.

Thanks again for considering these comments, and for allowing me a voice on this critical issue.

Addendum: Another reason I included so many industry links is I want the Domaining page to be an actual resource for anyone who searches on domaining and is interested in learning more about it. The links I provided you are high quality, relevant, and central to understanding the domain name industry. Please consider allowing me to perhaps place the links at the bottom of the article such that Wikipedia users will have a great resource guide for learning.

Internet Domains domainer, domaining, wikipedia

Domainer, definition: an individual who invests in and monetizes internet domain names.

And that’s it. People have a tendency to over-explain the term, domainer. Domaining encompasses many activities associated with domain name utilization. Not just resale. Not just parking. Definitely not cybersquatting (though that exists). Domaining can include full-scale web development, or any combination of approaches. Domainers are diverse, and in my experience, often ethical and intelligent people.

Side note: Whoever wrote the current Wikipedia page on “domaining” needs to erase it and start over. The page contains too much misinformation and personal bias.

Most domainers became interested in domain names as an extension of enjoying the internet, and embracing some element of the net that was fun and exciting. Still others happened up on domaining, somewhat by accident, as a result of taking their company online and exploring things like website design and webhosting. What’s your story?

My story began with songwriting and recording music. I purchased a digital hard-disk recording system in 1992 having been a multitrack reel-to-reel guy for a number of years. In the mid-1990′s, I was recording area musicians’ CD’s, guest playing on their songs, and writing my own material which eventually led to my own CD. The internet was being discovered … usually via AOL over slow 28k modems (made only to test your patience and sanity).

I began designing a promotional website to market my music, and eventually needed to register something called a “domain name” (so people could access my music site over the net). Naturally enough, I registered my own name. Things began to take off after joining MP3.com, Billboard Music Net, and Soundclick … who all provided me featured spots on their internet charts. After some local newspaper articles on my music exploits, I decided to resign my position and take some time to move things further forward. This resulted in an unexpected detour.

As I was finishing two more songs, learning html and graphics editing, I had the proverbial epiphany (like many others!) when I heard about the multi-million dollar sales of Business.com and Loans.com. I became fascinated with the concept of what a domain name could represent, and how it could become a portal, or magnet, for people interested in a particular subject. I had been a pretty active member of music forums, and had seen the incredible way in which people separated by continents could connect. This was futuristic, and exciting. I wasn’t sure how the opportunity would take shape, but I knew something important was looming, and I wanted to join in.

Domain names seemed the most perfect, single vehicle for accessing this incredible future technology called “the internet”. But it was happening now! My local phone company was literally laying broadband cable day-after-day in the rural area where I lived. Something special was coming to America, and to the world. My innate curiosity really took off.

Having pretty much missed the boat in 1999 on true premium .com domains, I geared up & strategized to take the .info world by storm. dotINFO was the first “post-modern” .com alternative and it captured considerable attention. It made sense: .info for “information“. I got it!

So much has happened in the domain name industry, in so short a time it seems. But here we are today, 2009. And despite all that has passed, we are still near the beginning. The internet was not a fad. It’s a prolific, planet-changing technology. The .com “bust” was not some final end, but only a small hiccup in what appears to be a truly once-in-a-lifetime trip. I’m not done domaining. Are you?

.INFO Domain Names, Humor, Internet Domains domain investments, domainer