Transferring Domains From NSI?

Dr.Doom asks: "So, the latest change to the service agreement by NSI is the last straw. I want to switch registrars, but I've heard some people say that NSI makes it very difficult to do so. My question is how can I do this with the least amount of trouble (and least amount of risk of losing my domains)?" There is some mention of the fact that NSI reserves the right to revoke a domain if it is to be transferred. Does anyone know how likely NSI is to do something like this? Is there any way to prevent it?

Comments

It simple, or it can be simple

[Duke of URL]

Find the registrar you want to use, contact them and ask them to transfer your current domains at NSI to them, your new registrar.

They want your business and most are happy to do it. I just did this myself a few weeks ago and switched from NSI to DomainDiscover.com. All in all, it was a pleasant, painless experience. DomainDiscover doesn't charge a transfer fee, but has you instead sign up for an additional year through them for $30 USD. They honor the rest of the time you had on NSI's contract.

speechless

[quux26]

I had to pause before posting this (because it looks like flamebait at first glance), but the community should be figuring out how to cram a spinning lawnmower up the financial tailpipe of NSI, not how to organize damage control. I mean, pardon the knee-jerk reaction, but this positively rivals the audacity of any FUD that MS has thrown our way.

I'd say this calls for a Stallman-esque boycot of NSI. Find out about places like dotster.com or processing innovations (I have a domain registered with each). This is absolute bull****, and I'm sorry to see the community diving for shelter. How many /. readers sit in a position to select which registrars their company uses? Just a few, I'd guess...

My .02
Quux26

Wow, scary..

[GoNINzo]

I do some research this morning, and I get an 'ask slashdot' today...

Okay a couple steps for Register.com, my current domain registrar choice.

1. Get the PDF form. There is a web based version here, but it prints worse.
2. Fill it out
3. Get a photocopy of your drivers license or something and have it notorized.
4. Fax it or mail it. It takes around 3-4 days.

NSI can only block you if:

• The transfer request was initiated within the first 60 days of the original registration date
• There is a dispute over the domain name
• There is a pending bankruptcy of the domain name holder
• There is a dispute over the identity of the domain name holder
• At the discretion of the losing registrar

So be careful of the last clause. In theory, they are only shooting themselves in the foot, and the legal notification to change should hold up in court. and of course, the implied IANAL.

I garnered all this info from the Register.com help pages in preperations for my domain transfer today. Also, I've been quite happy with Register.com's hosting so far, so this is all IMHO.

--
Gonzo Granzeau

Use OpenSRS

[Ledge Kindred]

The OpenSRS "affiliate" admin screen has an option to "transfer a domain" that as easy as clicking on the option, typing the name of the domain you wish to transfer to OpenSRS, clicking the "submit" button and they do all the rest of the work. We've transferred literally hundreds of domains away from NSI without a hitch.

Either try to contact the OpenSRS people directly about becoming an affiliate, or otherwise try to contact an OpenSRS affiliate to handle your domains for you.

-=-=-=-=-

Cause a run on the bank

[GCP]

Good domain names are so difficult to obtain that they sell for millions. There are a lot of large institutions with big legal departments out there that would be horrified to learn of NSI's legal claim, but I'm willing to bet that few of them know about this yet. Once they find out, we'll have some powerful allies.

Imagine if your bank were to declare that your deposits with them were not physical, but electronic, and as such were merely forms of information that were the product of your contract with the bank. Therefore, they actually owned your money, allowing you to use it at their "sole discretion", and if you tried to move it to another bank, they had no legal responsibility if the "information" somehow ended up in the hands of a third party.

I would guess that if this move got out, there would be a run on the bank. That's exactly what should happen to NSI as well as any other institution that claims ownership of something I deposit with them for a fee.

I suggest that we generate a Slashdot effect on NSI by getting the word out anyway we can, to everyone who will listen, hopefully causing a run on this "bank".

NSI would then either have to publicly change its policy, or publicly explain its unchanged policy. The latter would probably put them out of business as all the folks in the world who give computer advice decided en masse to advise against NSI. Either way, it would make news.

All eyes would be on them, with the press sniffing around for stories of NSI "losing" domains that were transferred away from them, probably making them much more careful. At the same time, there would probably be a few large organizations willing to combine their legal resources in a bid to stop NSI. After all, NSI isn't just setting its own policies, it's setting precedents -- precedents that organizations with billions in intellectual property and large legal departments wouldn't want set.

This approach is about the only way I can think of to increase our likelihood, as small fish ourselves, of maintaining possession of our hard-won domain names in the face of this sort of outrageous behavior.

What happens to NSI now...

[ivan37]

Now that Network Solutions has decided to do this, this is what is going to happen next:

Business will drop dramatically from those who know what they are doing.

Eventually this drop in business will effect them so much that they will consider repealing this new clause to their contract.

Due to their way-too-big egos, they will not repeal it for fear of looking like idiots (too late).

To make up for lost revenue, they will start taking popular domains away for frivilous reasons. A few hell.coms auctioned off here and there and they make up quite a bit of money.

If people haven't moved away from Network Solutions yet, they will now.

Pretty soon Network Solutions won't have any domains left and will go bankrupt unless they decide to fess up and give in (fat chance).