IDN's this time last year...?

[seamo]

What I was wondering is how deep into IDN domaining people were 1 year ago?

Did many people know about IDN's?

What about the senior domainers here? Had anyone seen the advent of the IDN age and begun registering your portfolio's this time last year?

I'm just curious to know and get a broader view of recent IDN history amongst us.

Oh, I've also edited this post as I spoilt the original one by dribbling poo on it. (I apologise to the forum)

Cheers

[Edwin]

I really only got started in January this year, although I was aware of IDNs a while back (I'd bought some in the pre-punycode era, but let them all expire when it looked like they weren't going anywhere)

[Rubber Duck]

This is not the big question. The big question is that how many that are where you were last year will be at your postion now by this time next year, and how many will be spending big bucks trying to get to my position?


This one is purely for my own curiosity's sake.

What were the senior IDNners of this forum up to this time last year?

Were you already into 'it' - could you see the advent of the IDN age approaching back then? Had you already begun registering your portfolio's? If not - when did you get started?

Me, I was smoking too much grass (as usual) and watching LOTR FOTR extended version for the 773 time :)

Hadn't heard of IDN's. Hadn't even registered a single domain in my life.

Shit, that seems like a lifetime ago now...:cool:

[seamo]

I really only got started in January this year, although I was aware of IDNs a while back (I'd bought some in the pre-punycode era, but let them all expire when it looked like they weren't going anywhere)

Wow - and you would have one of the better porfolios now too Edwin.

So that means there was still a good deal of cream IDN's still for grabs?

What languages were the least 'plundered' - do you recall?

This is not the big question. The big question is that how many that are where you were last year will be at your postion now by this time next year, and how many will be spending big bucks trying to get to my position?)

That is truly profound.

You have led me to then ask you this in response - why do you do it?

In fact, why do we all do it?

It's time to all ask ourselves.

Now. Go on....

Is it the potential wealth?

Is it an addiction?

Does it make you feel sexy?

I know it does for all 3 of the above for me - that's for a whole different thread though.

[blastfromthepast]

.........

[Rubber Duck]

I owned about 5 IDNs, the few remaining that I registered after the move to production from the test bed. All the testbed ones I let drop since I lost confidence in MS to support them.

I always thought that just in case they come on big, I could get come money off of just one or two of the ones I own. So it was a good bet. I went for single character domains in Chinese. And for a few Russian words that I knew would be in demand.

Well, I got started about the time the test bed domains started to drop in big numbers. I guess a lot of my domains have been pre-owned, even most of my drops get reregistered!

[thegenius1]

That is truly profound.

You have led me to then ask you this in response - why do you do it?

In fact, why do we all do it?

It's time to all ask ourselves.

Now. Go on....

Is it the potential wealth?

Is it an addiction?

Does it make you feel sexy?

I know it does for all 3 of the above for me - that's for a whole different thread though.


I tell you this much, addiction, isomnia, sexy, bentlys, vacations, helping others = idn's in my book.... I think it will be hard to put a value on the idn experience because there are not that many times you can say you have been " Back to the Future " :) espeacially when you where in a coma the first go round

[sarcle]

I got started in IDN last September. Then I found one of Dave's rants at Dnforum and I contacted him via pm. Found out about Idnforums.com through him in October. I have kept largely quiet about my overall status of total idns. I will sell the ones I make public and keep the ones that are quiet for residual income. And my best ones are pre-owned, I just feel bad for the poor schmo that dropped them. Wait a second... Um... no I don't.

[Rubber Duck]

I tell you this much, addiction, isomnia, sexy, bentlys, vacations, helping others = idn's in my book.... I think it will be hard to put a value on the idn experience because there are not that many times you can say you have been " Back to the Future " :)

Well it one be really be back to the future as most people imagine. When the World wakes up to what is going on, all the Internet Infrastructure that had even been dreamed up in 1997, will simply just be applied to IDN.

What was really about in 1997??? Traffic Parking Services, Online Escrow, International Card Payments, Focus Forums, Domain Auctions, Clarification of Legal Status of Domains in terms of buying and selling. Can anyone remember exactly where we were then? I know an awful lot has changed, but I wasn't in the Game back then, so I don't have those clear cut memories that some of you might care to share.

All I remember was that I missed the boat first time around. When I heard there was a second boat at the key, but the engine was under repair, I didn't wait to find out when it would be repaired, I just booked by First Class Cabin, which appears to have been vacated.

[seamo]

I got started in IDN last September. Then I found one of Dave's rants at Dnforum and I contacted him via pm. Found out about Idnforums.com through him in October. I have kept largely quiet about my overall status of total idns. I will sell the ones I make public and keep the ones that are quiet for residual income. And my best ones are pre-owned, I just feel bad for the poor schmo that dropped them. Wait a second... Um... no I don't.

September? Oh crap...that kills me!

I have to tell you man - that's when I started domaining too.

But NOT with IDN's!

:mad: Aaaaaaaaaarrrrrgh!!!

Ahhh...that feels much better.

And anyone want to but a complete blog network of 200+ URL's (going cheap) drop me a PM.

Anytime.

Please.

[sarcle]

Yes, when I signed up here there were like 5 regular posters. :) (Mostly Dave's long winded sermons) And I am in-debted to him for this. The learning curve took on an "Einstein-Rosen Bridge" and I came out the otherside a changed man and full of knowledge. Edwin was still playing "devil's advocate" to the idn game. I do appreciate that also Edwin as you kept my thoughts in check.

[blastfromthepast]

............

[Rubber Duck]

Yes, I have to say that one of the things that motivated me so strongly was seeingl Newbies being hurded like sheep in to English Keyword dot CO dot IN market. Have you ever tried telling a sheep not to follow the hurd into the Market Truck. Well after so many attempts you tend to just give up!


September? Oh crap...that kills me!

I have to tell you man - that's when I started domaining too.

But NOT with IDN's!

:mad: Aaaaaaaaaarrrrrgh!!!

Ahhh...that feels much better.

And anyone want to but a complete blog network of 200+ URL's (going cheap) drop me a PM.

Anytime.

Please.

[Olney]

Last year around August I had an argument with Dave about IDNs on DNF. At the time I was in Boston. I was in Boston studying video & SEO. I was buying domains to develop Japan related sites mainly.
I always noticed that ASCII Japanese domains had NO SEO or basic search value.

I bought my first 10 in August. The actually weren't great but had really high OVT value. Then in the beginning of September I decided to come back to Tokyo, & at this time found a few of my best IDNs that were dropping.

Before I left Boston since I kept hearing the absolute stupidest redundant reasons that IDNs wouldn't take off I started this site phase one with the old board. Dave recruited members left & right & word spread.

Being told that domains like my TVGame.com, PCGame.com & Anime.com were worth reg fee made me stop posting at other sites for a while. Ask for a reason & I got rediculous answers like because the OVT results don't have a EXT attached, or because Japanese are comfortable with typing in domains in English.

This might be a real racist statement but I believe "ALOT" (Not all) but ALOT of nonMinority Americans just think that Japanese people just want to do every single aspect of their lives in English. Being a minority American I realize most people are just naturally comfortable in their own language with absolutely every aspect of their life. This little concept that I think any child can understand just won't get through to many people.

[sarcle]

This might be a real racist statement but I believe "ALOT" (Not all) but ALOT of nonMinority Americans just think that Japanese people just want to do every single aspect of their lives in English.

Yes it is. :) But I forgive you as you gave us this place to play and progress.

People in general, no matter what race see the world through their own eyes from the point of view of how they were raised. It's up to them later in life to wake up and realize that life is what it is. Diverse and wonderful.

The computer screen see's no color of skin. I had no clue you were black Olney (not that I cared or it mattered) until you told me. And despite Dave's handicap of being from England, I think he's a real cut up guy. :)

[seamo]

Around 1993, when I was about 16, I remember sitting the library in Cambridge where they had just installed the first "test" connection to the public internet and using Netscape.

This sure beats gopher, I thought. My next thought was "I got to buy Netscape stock." Then I realized I had no money, I was 16, and nobody would listen to me.

So I just told my parents, and watched the news.

When I was 14, I was a beta tester for Apple's Cyrillic Language Kit, that was part of their pre-unicode internationalization program to make the OS multilingual. I still have the T-shirt "Multilingual Mac OS" they sent me. So, I've been involved in the internationalization of computers for a long time now, and IDNs just fit right into the scheme.

When unicode came out, there was a lot of talk that "Why would anyone want to name their files in non-ASCII characters?" Millions of people around the world do so every minute now. It is going to be the same with domains. Nobody is even going to think: Oh! There's an IDN. The fact that non-ASCII domain names are converted to unicode, will be just a technical aside nobody is going to think of at all.

That is a pedigree knowledge of IDN history you have man.

I bet you would be a bloody interesting person to chat to over a beer!

You had the smarts to want to buy up Netscape stock?

That must have killed you!!!

Just proves again that parents never listen to their kids!

(I bet they nearly cry when you remind them about that one) :)

Last year around August I had an argument with Dave about IDNs on DNF.

Only in August? Far out! I hadn't realised how fresh this phenomena really is!

I had heard rumours of IDN domainers beginning to 'acquire' - but as I was acomplete newbie to registering anything at all apart from my car every 3 months - I thought it sounded all too hard.

Yes it is. :) But I forgive you as you gave us this place to play and progress.

Yes - at the end of the day we all have to say thanks to olney for this awesome community! It's the resources and tools you provide us with that have shown you are not a selfish, sneaky person (like I'd be tempted to be) but have given out freely to all.

You have also helped to develop in me what I think will be a life long appreciation for the Japanese language - thanks!

[blastfromthepast]

Olney, if you are ever in Boston, dinner is on me. :) If anyone else is in town and wants to meet up, PM.

[drbiohealth]

That's very true Dave! Well, I started venturing in the new waters around December time last year. And, thanks to Dave for that! He was the ONLY reason why I am into IDNs.
Cheers!

Yes, I have to say that one of the things that motivated me so strongly was seeingl Newbies being hurded like sheep in to English Keyword dot CO dot IN market. Have you ever tried telling a sheep not to follow the hurd into the Market Truck. Well after so many attempts you tend to just give up!

[Rubber Duck]

That's very true Dave! Well, I started venturing in the new waters around December time last year. And, thanks to Dave for that! He was the ONLY reason why I am into IDNs.
Cheers!

Yes, I think a lot of people will realise that they wasted a lot of time last year. The two biggest and meaningless distractions were the dot IN "Goldrush" for English Keywords and all the Fluff talked about Milliondollarhomepage.com. I wonder how many of those that set up Pixel sites wish they had bought a few decent Japanese IDNs!

[dabsi]

sarted in March 2004....; almots french domains were free; I thought nobody would give a cent for names like télévision.com; meanwhile i sold a couple of IDN'S

DABSI