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Lava Lamp Freak · Nov 16, 2006, 01:47 AM

I am wanting to register a domain name to use for my web development services. The .com I want is taken, but .net and .biz are both available. Which would sound better to a customer? Would I be better off not going with either and finding a .com that will work? The reason I'm thinking about going that route is in case a customer sends an e-mail to .com when I have .net or .biz and it going to the wrong person. Thoughts?

Cottonsworth · Nov 16, 2006, 01:51 AM

You should get a .com. Less computer literate people generally always assume that a website address ends with a .com. If your target customers are more computer savvy, I would say that a .net would be acceptable. Definitely don't go with a .biz since most people don't even know that is a domain.

marden · Nov 16, 2006, 02:05 AM

Originally Posted by Lava Lamp Freak

I am wanting to register a domain name to use for my web development services. The .com I want is taken, but .net and .biz are both available. Which would sound better to a customer? Would I be better off not going with either and finding a .com that will work? The reason I'm thinking about going that route is in case a customer sends an e-mail to .com when I have .net or .biz and it going to the wrong person. Thoughts?

Is there a .com name (or other names with.biz or .net or .tv and etc.) that would be suitable to use as a gateway to send people to your real site?

wallinbl · Nov 16, 2006, 08:37 AM

.net is okay, .biz is worthless. i won't pick one up unless i can get .com, though.

mac128k-1984 · Nov 16, 2006, 08:47 AM

I'd shoot for the .net. I think there's enough .net domains that even the most computer Illiterate people don't mix that up. As others have stated the .bz doesn't really help you all that much. .com is the most accepted then followed by .net.

kman42 · Nov 16, 2006, 09:15 AM

What are the best registration/hosting services nowadays?

kman

Mastrap · Nov 16, 2006, 09:20 AM

Still dreamhost.com

.net is ok, but .com is always better.

Nicko · Nov 16, 2006, 09:20 AM

Be creative and think of a unique .com. Its worth it.

kick52 · Nov 16, 2006, 09:26 AM

.net .net .net .NET!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lava Lamp Freak · Nov 16, 2006, 09:31 AM

Thanks for the advise. I think I'll go with the .net. I really would like for my domain to be a .com, but I picked out a name I wanted to use for my business a while back and would like my domain and business name to match.

mitchell_pgh · Nov 16, 2006, 10:53 AM

.net is OK... Ii would shy away from .biz or any of the like...

turtle777 · Nov 16, 2006, 11:46 AM

.biz is BS.

I have yet to see a serious website with .biz.

-t

Doofy · Nov 16, 2006, 12:14 PM

.biz always reeks of "get rich quick" schemes to me.

Rumor · Nov 16, 2006, 01:07 PM

Originally Posted by Lava Lamp Freak

Thanks for the advise. I think I'll go with the .net. I really would like for my domain to be a .com, but I picked out a name I wanted to use for my business a while back and would like my domain and business name to match.

mywebsite.com or mywebsite.net

People are going to be choosing the .com while looking for you site.

Don't pick up a .net if there is already a .com, it will become a pain in the ass.

Be creative and original.

olePigeon · Nov 16, 2006, 02:38 PM

You should drop it all and get a .mobi

Politicians + Technology =

Derail: Anyone understand the point of .mobi? I mean, the entire point of URL structuring is that if you have a mobile site, you could just put mobile.microsoft.com. Somehow some idiot thought putting a FOUR letter TLD would be smart for mobile phone & PDA users. Letters, I might add, that aren't anywhere near each other on a phone keypad. Gah!!! This deserves a Dilbert comic. Scott, do you read MacNN?

Rumor · Nov 16, 2006, 02:42 PM

Mediaman_12 · Nov 16, 2006, 07:45 PM

This is where living in the US is defiantly NOT a benefit. Here in the UK for example if the .com is taken, you can go for a .co.uk, A domain that is well understood by the Uk population (unlike .biz etc). If you live in the USA you have worldwide competition for your chosen domain, and the alternatives to .com for USA based companies generally suck.

Lava Lamp Freak · Nov 17, 2006, 01:46 AM

The registrant of the domain name I want is located in the UK. There is no site at the domain, just a search portal. I've thought about e-mailing the person to see if they would consider selling.

Nebagakid · Nov 17, 2006, 02:21 AM

most people will get confused by the .net and .com being different websites.

funkboy · Nov 17, 2006, 02:44 AM

.com

turtle777 · Nov 17, 2006, 11:54 AM

Originally Posted by Mediaman_12

This is where living in the US is defiantly NOT a benefit. Here in the UK for example if the .com is taken, you can go for a .co.uk, A domain that is well understood by the Uk population (unlike .biz etc). If you live in the USA you have worldwide competition for your chosen domain, and the alternatives to .com for USA based companies generally suck.

This is a bad argument.

How is a .co.uk helpful for a WORLDWIDE active company, even if base in the UK ?

Of you want to operate outside of your own country, you need to be on .com or .net.

-t

davesimondotcom · Nov 17, 2006, 12:36 PM

Originally Posted by olePigeon

You should drop it all and get a .mobi

Politicians + Technology =

Derail: Anyone understand the point of .mobi? I mean, the entire point of URL structuring is that if you have a mobile site, you could just put mobile.microsoft.com. Somehow some idiot thought putting a FOUR letter TLD would be smart for mobile phone & PDA users. Letters, I might add, that aren't anywhere near each other on a phone keypad. Gah!!! This deserves a Dilbert comic. Scott, do you read MacNN?

Agreed, but I'll go one step further:

<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="screen" href="screen.css">
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="handheld" href="mobile.css">
<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" media="print" href="print.css">

Who needs anything more than different media types?