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Transferring Domains from Uncooperative Registrar?
An anonymous reader asks: "What do you do when your registrar hangs you out to dry? I have a domain that was registered with a registrar that no longer exists. The original registrar was bought out by another, who is a reseller for a third registrar. After the buyout they never got my domain to work properly with their billing system, with the result that I cannot transfer the domain (they say they cannot release registrar-lock) and cannot renew it via their online system, meaning that I have to call them on the phone. Several weeks ago, my registrar took my renewal payment for two years, and charged my credit card, but never renewed the domain. They expired it and redirected the web accesses to their parking page, which consists of spam links. I've emailed and called them several times since, with the result that they no longer answer my email or phone calls. I can't find any clear documentation at ICANN about this, as it all seems to be geared toward transfers from uncooperative web hosts or copyright holders. Do I have any recourse in this case, or am I simply screwed?"
Why do so many people think this so fucking nifty to reply going "ooh, mod parent up, look, I'm a pro Slashdotter, mod parent up", when they have no damn clue why that shit started so long ago? I see you're a newbie... I see this all the time, it's aggrevating... usually it's AC's replying to a +2 post. But since you're putting your karma on the line, let me explain this to you.
You'll notice from his +2 starting rank that he has excellent karma, like you.
The point of replying to another post (generally an AC or a newbie or a notorious troll or something) stating "mod parent up" is only valid if you have a higher starting post rank. Foolish mods who have their threshold set to 1 or 2 would miss the AC/troll/newbie post which was oh so insightful or whatever, but would see your "mod parent up" post and check it out.
At this point, all mods are well aware that they're supposed to browse posts on -1. I always view on -1 so I'm not certain, but it might actually force you to view on -1 all the time when you have mod points... still, no mod is going to go "!GASP! I've gotta mod this parent up right away, because this guy agrees with him!!".
You see, then, why it's incredibly stupid to reply to a post with an equal or higher rank than yours going "Mod parent up!". It leaves the distinct impression that you're only trying to be cute and fit in. I mean, "Moddy mod mod"?
If nothing else, it's just another goddam me-too post. When CmdrTaco talks about signal-to-noise ratio in the FAQ's, me-too posts are the 'noise': the static that fills in when the radio or TV cuts out, or the intermitance that makes cell phones so obnoxious, or that hum/fuzz that an amplifier makes when there's no music playing. It's garbage and it devalues Slashdot. In fact, it's one of the main purposes of moderation altogether.
Being that you seem to spend a lot of time here (so new with excellent karma and already 300 something posts), you'd think you'd have figured this out by now? Just remember - when I'm running out of time to use my mod points and I see "mod parent up" bullshit on posts with equal or higher rank, I mod them Off Topic! Unless of course they're posting anonymously, because that's just wasting a mod point.