Morning Folks!!
With North Korea and South Korea blustering for war, While the dollar is losing value, While the world is watching riots in London, Greece and Ireland, With the TSA groping us and violating us, it is Domain Names that have garnered the headlines and that is BIG NEWS!
Now I am not here to discuss the seizure nor the implications. That discussion just begins and billions may be discussing it. I am here to tell you that after 15 years of being in a wilderness, we are truly entering mainstream. Entering into the gravity and radar of business and beyond.
I have watched 16 online Christmas Seasons come and go. This one is uniquely different. This one is embraced. This online Christmas is a combination of stores driving traffic online. Those same stores are driving traffic online right from their stores. What was looked at as a threat 16 years ago is now being embraced for the sales opportunity it was meant to be. It took 16 attempts to find the right door. But they are finally on the track. Finally in the hunt. Finally understanding what this medium can do for their bottom line. Step ONE!!!
Sears and Kmart and others were open on Thanksgiving Day for the first time ever! That’s a big deal. That’s a way of saying they are starting to “Get it.”
So while Domain Names are the Headline at THIS MOMENT, it is a moment I have only dreamed about for many years. Let the discussion begin. Let them kick it around. Let the masses focus just for a day on what we do and what others do and what can and can’t be done.
Today marks the end of the “Wild West” in the evolution of the Domain Industry. It has finally been brought to the highest level of our consciousness and that is priceless.
This year “Social Media” forced them to engage their customers in a way they never could do before. They realize their customers are their 24/7 and they must be there as well. This is the result of a bad economy doing really good things.
Now this post will be online LONG after that headline is gone. But make no mistake, this is a great moment regardless of the form in which it has come. The debate about WHERE to draw the line on all things related to domain names begins today and it is no longer limited to ICANN. Today, ICANN had their power usurped by Homeland Security. That's fodder for what may end up being just as important a discussion.
Have a GREAT Day!
Rick Schwartz
jeff schneider
Hello Rick,
What a way to start the business New Year! Ho Ho HO we have come to steal your assets in the name of protecting us all from those nasty terrorists. There is one behind every Bush Goeorge W. I am as patriotic as anyone you know ,but to hide behind terrorists to appropriate more and more of our tax dollars for questionable agendas is just quite about enough in our opinion. Merry Christmas!!
Gratefully , Jeff
Anunt
16% spike online sales Black Friday
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101127/ap_on_bi_ge/us_holiday_shopping
but most people are using search engines like google to find stuff or apps or using regular sites like amazon, ebay, etc.
direct domain type-ins becoming less important to people and will eventually die out completely!
todaro
at least until the government decides they own ALL the domains and start seizing them for disloyalty.
jeff Schneider
Hello Rick,
Ihave suggested many times in the past that someone should innovate and create a conference based on Branded Internet Addresses. The timing is right! what say Ye. The only person who can benefit from this idea is you. I dare you to be Bold enough to let this be published.
Gratefully, Jeff Schneider
Rob Masters
This is only the beginning of the end of domain ownership and free speech. ALL police agencies in England seeking authority to shut down domains with only a letter to the registrar:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-11845961
http://www.thinq.co.uk/2010/11/25/police-get-major-new-powers-seize-domains/
Wait until a large corporation or someone politically connected wants one of YOUR domains.
Josh
I’m not sure this is the kind of publicity you want for domain names.
You *think* you have an ownership interest in a domain name but the government can unilaterally seize your domain name if the government disagrees with how your using it. That’s the red flag danger here. Copyrighters and counterfeiters today…and who tomorrow?
Before, either the intellectual property holder, and in some cases the government itself, could file a civil action where due process of law ran its course. Now, the government can get a rubber stamped warrant from a”court” in an exparte hearing and seize property. And for what, to prevent the loss of life? To stop”terrorism”? No, to stop someone from downloading songs or pirating software. Really?
Whether it’s police state procedures at airports (and soon to be subways and buses), the seizing control of healthcare to give you fewer options, or decreasing ownership rights in private property (domain names), our country is assembling an *infrastructure* that will make America a lot less free than the America most of us grew-up in…
Josh
I’m not sure this is the kind of publicity you want for domain names.
You *think* you have an ownership interest in a domain name but the government can unilaterally seize your domain name if the government disagrees with how your using it. That’s the red flag danger here. Copyrighters and counterfeiters today…and who tomorrow? Vague violations of”hate speech” or support of”terrorism”/criticism of the US government?
Before, either the intellectual property holder, and in some cases the government itself, could file a civil action where due process of law ran its course. Now, the government can get a rubber stamped warrant from a”court” in an exparte hearing and seize property. And for what, to prevent the loss of life? To stop”terrorism”? No, to stop someone from downloading songs or pirating software. Really?
Whether it’s police state procedures at airports (and soon to be subways and buses), the seizing control of healthcare to give you fewer options, or decreasing ownership rights in private property (domain names), our country is assembling an *infrastructure* that will make America a lot less free than the America most of us grew-up in…
Arnie
I agree completely with you Rick. I think”they” are finally getting it. That is the power of the Web and online social media and Internet marketing. Cyber Monday will be turning into Cyber Week the same way Thanksgiving Day sales has become a reality. Nice article, and right on the money.
Arnie
Nice article Rick. I completely agree with you.
Attila
Its only the naive and brainwashed who think that America is the land of the free. While America has its laws and due process, taking domains away with a judge signing (or stamping) a paper that”could be” over exaggerated, is pushing the envelope. I remember when the feds were all over my case back in 2004. They filed 10+ felony charges against. In the end, nothing came of their case and it went dead. If you read their reports, you would think the person they’re talking about (me) was apart of some kind of large crime syndicate.
Patriot Act was passed not for terrorism reasons. While its what the mass media portrays it, its truly about getting warrants easier. Also about getting sued less for wrongful arrests, or seizures, or searches and so on.
America wants their people to live in fear (hence all the threat levels changing every few weeks and new security policies coming out every 6 months). While most communist countries (like China), the only thing difference from the two, is due process. America you have it, China you don’t have a say.
I been living in China for 6+ years. While news/internet in China gets”moderated/firewalled” and the way of life may not be as great as America. I can tell you this, that America is heading in a direction that is worse then conditions of China. So fellow Americans, live the dream you all think you enjoy because your rights are being taken away, nice and slowly.
Dave Wrixon
Frankly, you are still light years behind the British in terms of E-Commerce.
And after all the hype about dot Mobi, dot Asia and dot CO and others, I would have to say you are way off the scent in the Domain field as well. All sorts of big developments are going down that don’t get an airing at Traffics or DNJ. But that matters little really because it is not domainers that move markets.
josh
Agree with you, atilla 100%
steve
Attila, we are all not total dumb #$#@$ here.
We get a choice of sh*t Republican who has been bought off or sh*t Democrat who has benn bought off. Both should be brought up on treason charges for all the illegal stuff they have done but instead we must elect one of them.
Obama? This jackass is finishing off whatever we had left after Bush killed us. The fact pelosi , reid, and frank won re-elections shows us what kind of people we have here.
Obama said these unemployed will start businesses. No, they will all stand in the bread lines. You are such an idiot I regret we voted you in. Taxes will go sky high and small businesses will flounder more than ever. I think you may be more stupid than Bush… F your policies, they are moronic at best. I can’t understand how you make decisions. It is obvious you have no idea what you are doing.
We have 20% of the country without a job. At 30% you can say game over!
To top it off Reid and Pelosi claim they saved the country…What?? Spending 3 trillion dollars saved the country? F you idiots.
Uzoma
Rick,
I wanted to know your thoughts on this article:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeff-jarvis/what-should-google-do_b_788854.html
Stephen Douglas_Successclick.com
Nice article, Rick. I appreciated that I could read some common sense…
cheers
Attila
LOL, I just got word that Google is looking to makes its acquisition on America once the current Gov dumps the USD. Will be changing each city name to one of their many services.
ie: New York will be Analytics
Los Angeles will be Webmaster Central
Las Vegas will be the search portal since you can find anything there
jeff schneider
Hello Rick,
Tis the season to be Jolly!! I could not be in more aggreement with your article. The activity level and size of offers for my domains has really corroberated your views.
Gratefully, Jeff
Landon White
I hope this means then that …
they will stop referring to me as …
one of them cybersqawkers :-)