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Go Daddy Usurps Network Solutions
miller60 writes "Go Daddy has passed Network Solutions as the top domain registrar, and now manages more than 6.8 million domains. This marks the first time that any registrar other than Network Solutions has held the top spot. The change is no surprise, given the growth trends and pricing for the two providers ($8.95 for Go Daddy, $34.99 for Network Solutions), but its controversial Super Bowl ads no doubt helped put Go Daddy over the top."
but first, like any good Slashdotter, I must pick nits and point out that waaaaay back in the last century, SRI held the top spot too.
The ad is here. Be gentle.
"I'd rather be a lightning rod than a seismometer." -Ken Kesey
You have to surf through 240 pages of adverts when all you really want to do is click "checkout".
is what put GoDaddy over the top. If you want to be dishonest and register a name without giving up any information -- like name and address -- GoDaddy is for you.
Plus, the price difference isn't as much as advertised here: the domain registration price is if you host the URL with GoDaddy. Domain transfers cost you money with GoDaddy (and try getting them to give it up even with the proper documentation -- it's a huge pain), while they're free with Network Solutions.
GoDaddy upsells all of their domains with options for SSL certs, privacy options, web hosting, email hosting, etc etc etc.
Their revenues are much more than just domain registrations.
Are you kidding? Wasn't the internet made for academics, funded by the military, the hijacked by porn? It's been a while since college, but that's how I remember it.
BDR Gear
Outdoor gear, MREs, and more!
I got on-board with GoDaddy before the SuperBowl ad. I had simply heard through the grapevine that they were cheap and offered good service. While I agree that all the hoops and stuff you have to dodge and click "NO" to to just checkout is a tad annoying, the price and service can't be beat. I've been very happy with them and have transferred all my domains there at this point.
Their other services such as webhosting don't offer anything special, but as a domain-name registrar I think they're great.
Have you ever bought a domain from GoDaddy? They try to upsell you on a lot of things like hosting, "search engine ranking increaser" programs, and privately-registered domains. A lot of them are marked "Yes" by default, so I'm sure some people buy things without realizing it. Their hosting business also seems to be quite lucrative, so I'm sure that contributes to their bottom line. They also have pretty cheap SSL certificates, as well as backordered domains at a premium price, so I could see them having a good amount of money made per year.
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If GoDaddy usurped NS, they'd control it. They merely surpassed the number of registered domains. Still an accomplishment, but not a usurpment.
My native tongue is Russian, but even I know that Usurps is not the correct verb to use in that sentence. According to m-w.com, to usurp is "to take possession of without legal claim" - not the same as to surpass a competitor in one away or another.
Learn your language!
Paul.
How does Powweb compare for hosting?
GoDaddy is extremely aggressive about pushing things people don't need, in my opinion. The company seems to me to take advantage of people with less technical understanding by exploiting their doubt. For example, there are sometimes as many as 30 ads on a GoDaddy screen at one time, so many it is difficult to navigate.
You can watch Godaddy's Super Bowl Spot here along with all the other superbowl spots on my site which strives to shamelessly rip-off what AdCritic was before they started charging.
Go ahead and slashdot it. I've got like 100 gigs of bandwidth to use before the end of the month.
It's a little tough to understand with their interface. Their DNS servers are called "PARK3.SECURESERVER.NET" and "PARK4.SECURESERVER.NET". In the interface, you have to configure your domain to be "parked" with them in order to use their DNS servers. Once you do that, an option will appear labeled "Total DNS Control" that allows you to change A, MX, and CNAME records. It's very confusing at first (thanks to their retarded interface), but it's all in there for the price of the domain. You DO NOT have to be hosted with them in order to use their DNS.
PS, namecheap.com offers all the same features PLUS dynamic DNS support (which can automatically update your IP if it changes) included in the price of the domain.
Power to the Peaceful
> GoDaddy only provides DNS service if you host with them or you want to use their "parked domain" page.
Incorrect. You do not need to host with them, but you do need to point to their "parked" servers. However, once you do, you can change A, CNAME, MX records to point wherever you like.
I used GoDaddy to host a domain name a while back before they got too big, from word of mouth.
However, I realized that I liked the features and price of someone else better. So, I tried to transfer my name from GD.
Worst transfer experience ever - and I've done many.
Took multiple phone calls, reattempts, emails, etc just to get the name released. One time, the rep didn't even realize one could transfer out or why one would want to.
Actually, I've registered about 5 domains recently at Go-Daddy (3 of which were transfers) and All options were defaulted off. All I had to do was find the "Continue" button and that was it.
It's true they try to upsell a lot of stuff but I'm not sure where you're getting the "marked 'Yes' by default"
NetSol will price match on request. It's not something they advertise, but they'll do it. I found this out when transferring my domains away.
FYI.
-- build a man a fire and he'll be warm all day. set a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life.
I used to be a go daddy customer but quit for some good reasons. The problems I had were the following:
it fails to forward it!!!!!
1) incorrect forwarding of subdirectory links:
example: if you set up a name forwarding of say
mydomainname.com --> myhostname.com
then if you try to access any sub_directory
mydomainname.com/CGI/somthing.jsp
That's right! you CANNOT access any subdirectory whatsoever. the only file you can access is index.html in the top level.
Here's what those dumbshits did. when you set up name forwarding they register your name with a go-daddy IP
mydomainname.com --> go-daddy_server.com/mydomainname
then when you try to access the your URL with a subdirectory rather than parsing the request it tries to go to the subdirectory on the go_daddy_server which of course does not exist and the user gets a 404 from go-daddy_server.
What idiots. I now use Name_zero.com as my registrar which correctly forwards.
2) to manipulate your account you have to use a web browser and their admin portal. Yet their portal does not render correctly in all browsers making it impossible to use most browasers on a macintosh.
3) their tech support is unresponsive. they take days to respond, they respond with boiler plate answers that make no sense and cant deal with real issues like #1 because they are just an answering machine not actual adminsitrators or deisgners.
BAsically go daddy sucks unless all you want is your name registers to your own host and not say name forwarding.
Some drink at the fountain of knowledge. Others just gargle.