Tuesday, November 12, 2013
Many years ago I reserved "(MyName).com" through NetworkSolutions.com, just in case I ever wanted a website for whatever purpose. It's just a few dollars a year to keep it, since I don't need a host yet, but if I ever decide to use it, it's there.
Warning: Don't go there!!!!!! Not for a while, anyway. I'll explain in a minute.
I have been getting emails since the first week of August at the rate of about one a week from Network Solutions reminding me that my reservation of (MyName) will expire soon and it's time to renew. Fine. I intend to renew. However, it doesn't expire until June 23, 2014! Sheesh, folks. Alright already! I'll renew in May, when I get the calendar reminder to renew, but not before then!
Network Solutions makes a few bucks by letting third parties advertise on my "under construction" page. Over the years it's been mostly legitimate fabric sellers, sari sellers, drum and instrument shops, stuff like that, which I didn't mind.
All these emails prompted me to take a look to see who's advertising there now.
Horrors!
It's dating sites, and NOT nice ones, either.
I have WOT (Web of Trust) installed on my system, and it went crazy. WOT tells you if a link is dangerous, if there's a possibility of viruses, spam, other nasty stuff, based on the comments of others who had gone there. (MyName) is apparently ok, WOT allowed the site to load, but the links on the page are NASTY!
Worse, if your cursor even passes over some of those links, without even a click, it looks like the link is taken, and some of those sites set off WOT. There may be dragons there!
Holy Crap! I don't want (MyName) to get that reputation!
This is majorly scary.
There is a way to change the construction page, and I'm going to have to do that, but it'll take some figuring out. And it might cost more.
Sigh.
Shut up, Network Solutions. The renewal reminders were ticking me off, but this whoring out (almost literally!) of (MyName), heretofore a sweet little lady, takes the cake.
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I highly recommend WOT. It's free. http://www.mywot.com/
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2 comments:
You *could* make a redirect link from silkendrum.com to this blog. Then they can't put anything on your "parking" page.
I don't have the correct terms to describe the arrangement, but I think all I'm paying them for is to reserve the name for me. They aren't hosting my content, so I'm not sure I can put anything there. But I do have some control over what they can do with that name. I am allowing them to use it for ad space in exchange for a very low reserve price, and I believe I can limit what is advertised. I believe for a higher price I can choose one of their "under construction" thingies (no advertising), but I need to figure out how to do that.
I really didn't mind the silk and musical instruments ads....
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