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GoDaddy.com Dumps Linux for Microsoft

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the say-it-aint-so dept.

RobertB-DC writes "Bargain-basement registrar GoDaddy.com has decided to move all its parked domains to Microsoft servers, saying that they'll provide 'a technology platform that is security-enhanced, highly scalable and easy to manage.' This is a shift away from Linux, a decision met with derision by other registrars such as Gandi.net, which greeted the news with the headline 'Go Daddy and never come back'. Late last year, GoDaddy.com had some 'issues', shall we say, with non-Microsoft browsers."

4 of 445 comments (clear)

  1. Microsoft probably paid them for this... by drasfr · · Score: 5, Interesting

    That is my assumption... I used to work for Register.com and we were having a HUGE number of parked domains and redirected domains served by Linux. Basically Microsoft approached us and offered us a pile of cash AND some of their engineers to help so we migrate the servers serving this (futurestep it was called if i remember right) to Windows and that they can use that as advertisement AND that netcraft would show a significant change in the number of sites hosted by Windows.... Let's say that it was very hard to refuse this...

    So yeah... I would assume the same. How much money/services did they got from Microsoft?

  2. Re:Who cares? by SillySnake · · Score: 4, Interesting

    This is clearly Go Daddy trying to do us all a favor. No one likes the dumb mispelling domains with tons of sponsored search links for pr0n, pills, and the such.. This is simply Go Daddy declaring open season on all the parked domains they host.. It's that simple :)

  3. Re:Who cares? by jmorris42 · · Score: 5, Interesting

    > It does, as bragging rights for Microsoft to show that its server solution is
    > hosting xx% of the internet.

    You are close to the truth. Watch Netcraft. Anytime Microsoft gets near the 20% mark a fresh deal is announced about some parked domains moving to IIS. They really can't afford to drop into the teens and retain any credibility as a player in the server space so they spend whatever it takes to prevent it.

    The more important number is Netcraft's active domains number and IIS is only at about 25% there. That gives a better picture of where they stand. Take out their own massive net operations and those of their slaves (Dell, HP, heck, most everybody who sells PCs, software or who develops heavy on Windows) who use IIS because they fear the consequences of using anything else and it would really be pitiful.

    --
    Democrat delenda est
  4. IMHO, MS is Buying IIS Marketshare. by WoTG · · Score: 4, Interesting

    Some of the Netcraft numbers are based on the number of domains hosted by a platform or web server. By paying off GoDaddy.com for parked domains they will get a large boost in Netcraft numbers for IIS and Windows Server. Sure the domains don't reflect 'productive' websites; but they still count. Not a bad plan.

    From GoDaddy's point of view, it's a no brainer. Who doesn't want money? Besides, there isn't even any evil involved in this one.