Slashdot Mirror


Network Solutions Overhauls Whois Results

Robert Accettura writes "Network Solutions has updated its whois interface, giving it an interesting new twist. On top of regular info provided, it shows data that appears to be from Alexa, including a screenshot of the homepage (though not terribly recent), as well as looks up your IP, and displays lots of information on it. It even shows the server type, if it supports SSL, DMOZ, Yahoo listing, traffic ranking, and lock status. This comes right after they announced rapid DNS updates. Perhaps they are trying to win over the geeks before they turn on sitefinder?"

7 of 243 comments (clear)

  1. Well, they got the geolocation wrong for my site by kravlor · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I ran a WHOIS query on my domain, kravlor.com, and it was placed in Chicago, IL, as opposed to Minneapolis, MN! Apparently I'm an e-commerce site, whatever that is, too!

  2. Re:Or maybe... by the_mad_poster · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I assume you're referring to Sitefinder?

    Yes, bad ideas happen. However, actively destroying expected behavior of the entire internet is just plain sinister. The only thing they can fall back on is that "technically" they didn't break anything in the sense that wildcards are legitimate.

    Mistakes happen, sure. Sitefinder, however, was just malicious profiteering and status abuse.

    --
    Alito: A vote for Alito is a punch in the eye to put that bitch back in her place!
  3. Re:war? by archen · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Speaking of spying, I noticed that they finally give you an option of hiding your personal information. My ex-girlfriend always used to say they should just include links to mapquest so that crazy psychos could just print off the map directons, drive to her house and kill her. Bad enough that she's actually gotten CALLS from creepy people.

    So at least that's one step in the right direction for Network solutions, even if they're going the wrong direction in so many other instances.

  4. UhOh by beaverbrother · · Score: 4, Insightful

    What I want to know is why they did away with having the results be returned as an image. Now my email is availible on that site in text format, leaving me suseptible to spam bots that search sites for email addresses.

  5. Why the cynicism? by panaceaa · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I think that this improvement is because Network Solutions charges the most for domain registration and they are trying to provide a better product in order to justify the cost. The added information isn't a major step forward for domain owners, but it does help make Network Solutions seem like a more serious provider.

  6. Security by Seven001 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    They'll impress me when they PUT SOME FUCKING SECURITY ON THE WHOIS SEARCH. Stupid ass companies like Network Solutions are the reason at least 50% of my spam is sent to a DOMAIN REGISTRATION ONLY email address.

    Would it be terribly difficult to implement a system like whois.sc, where it shows images of your email address instead of text? I think not. I could probably do it and I'm a pretty green PHP coder.

  7. Woah.. Backorder by hotzeyboy · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I checked out my domain, which I'm scared to give the name of now and at the top of the page is the following

    Certified Offer Service - Make an offer on this domain

    Backorder - Get this name when it becomes available

    Similar Names - See suggested alternatives for
    this domain

    In addition a sidebar has all the other
    tld .net, .org etc ...

    Excuse me? I don't mind getting legitimate offers to purchased this domain but they seem to be offering services to encourage squatters to either steal it (when the registration expires)
    or to grab similar sounding names so they can profit off typos? Whose brilliant idea was this?