Network Solutions never fails to disappoint

Some companies have taken up the "do no evil" or "we're not evil" tag, but it seems like Network Solutions must have taken up the alternative "do no good" tag. It seems they just never fail to disappoint with examples of how they are surreptitiously subverting their job as domain register and guardian of the .com TLD to rip off consumers. Last time it was their obnoxious scheme to redirect all mistyped domain names to one of their own web search pages, against all the standards defined by Internet RFCs (that specify the exact rules of how the Internet works thus allowing the fantastic interoperability we see now).

This time they are now doing what is apparently called domain "front-running" by automatically reserving any unregistered domain that you search for from the Network Solutions website. This prevents you registering that domain from any other registrar - which you'll probably want to do because Network Solutions still charges the usery rate for $34.95 a year where almost everyone else is charing $10 a year or less. So you might go to Network Solutions to do a domain search - they are right there at the top of the list on Google when you search for "domain search", find an unregistered domain you like, go to register it and realize just how much they are charging, then go elsewhere and darn, if it isn't already listed as registered to Network Solutions.

Now Network Solutions will say they are doing it to protect you and they will release the domain for registration elsewhere after 4 days - but now the domain is listed as registered so any other cybersquatter will know someone was looking for it and can jump on it when the registration expires - just as you want to do. The upshot is you are sorely tempted to pay those sky-high Network Solutions registration fees just to ensure you get the domain. But according to the eWeek article it is not clear if they do actually release the domain after four days - they clearly show a domain registered for a year following a search they claim they did months ago.

Their explanation as eWeek puts its - they are "front-running" to protect you from those evil "front-runners". Gee thanks Network Solutions, if this is such a good thing why didn't you advertise that policy in black and white right by the search button - along with your overpriced registration fees? In fact I just went to check their website and there is nothing on the front page, or the domain registration page saying anything about this "front-running for your benefit" policy, and they don't even tell you the price until more than a half-dozen clicks into the ordering process - after they first try an sell you any number of other non-essential things like private domain registration, hosting and other add ons. Granted other registrars try this upsell thing, but they do that after they have told you the basic domain registration cost.

So if you're looking to do domain name search I suggest you steer well clear of Network Solutions - there are dozens of other places to search and register domains like dnsstuff.com, godaddy.com (irritating website but up front pricing and cheap), DreamHost.com and the original and simplest internic.net (they oversea Internet naming and registrars).