I guess the actual term is "Cybersquatting", but I always call it "Squatting". According to my fav little ref site Wikipedia, it is defined as:
I have owned my own domain name (hagood.net) since 1998. Yes yes yes... I was one of those guys that had a web site back in the day before you could just create one with the push of a button. In the past 9 years I have been contacted several times by people interested in buying the domain name from me. If there was a legitimate business that made a good case, I would probably be open to the idea, but it has just been other folks who "want" the domain name. Maybe long lost family? Who knows?... Anyway, when I have politely declined the offer I have occasionally been met with hostility. Been accused of squatting. Been accused of trying to rip them off by getting the price up before I will consider selling... Etc etc etc. That just isn't the case. I just like having my own domain name that is the same as my last name. I like chris@hagood.net being my email address.
So it has become a ritual every year when my domain comes up for renew that I wait until it is just about to expire before I actually renew it. I just "know" one of the a$$hats that sends me hate mail from time to time is just sitting there poised to take it away as soon as it expires. I like to think that this infuriates them to no end. It may not, but I enjoy the thought of it just the same.
This year, I just renewed until 2010. So... should you ever need to find me... or are just wanting to look at a site that is great need of an extreme makeover - Geek addition... Head on over to www.hagood.net.
--C
Cybersquatting, according to the United States federal law known as the Anti-Cybersquatting Consumer Protection Act, is registering, trafficking in, or using a domain name with bad-faith intent to profit from the goodwill of a trademark belonging to someone else. The cybersquatter then offers to sell the domain to the person or company who owns a trademark contained within the name at an inflated price. (link)
I have owned my own domain name (hagood.net) since 1998. Yes yes yes... I was one of those guys that had a web site back in the day before you could just create one with the push of a button. In the past 9 years I have been contacted several times by people interested in buying the domain name from me. If there was a legitimate business that made a good case, I would probably be open to the idea, but it has just been other folks who "want" the domain name. Maybe long lost family? Who knows?... Anyway, when I have politely declined the offer I have occasionally been met with hostility. Been accused of squatting. Been accused of trying to rip them off by getting the price up before I will consider selling... Etc etc etc. That just isn't the case. I just like having my own domain name that is the same as my last name. I like chris@hagood.net being my email address.
So it has become a ritual every year when my domain comes up for renew that I wait until it is just about to expire before I actually renew it. I just "know" one of the a$$hats that sends me hate mail from time to time is just sitting there poised to take it away as soon as it expires. I like to think that this infuriates them to no end. It may not, but I enjoy the thought of it just the same.
This year, I just renewed until 2010. So... should you ever need to find me... or are just wanting to look at a site that is great need of an extreme makeover - Geek addition... Head on over to www.hagood.net.
--C
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--C