Registering a Domain Name
When you register a domain name, there are really 2 things you should look for from the registrar. First is price. Some often run special prices, and their registration is just as valid as anyone elses - they are all registered through the same authority. The second thing is how easy they make it to make record changes. There can be several different circumstances where you need to make modifications to your domain record, and some companies make it so difficult that it's almost impossible - and then some of them charge you to make changes. Part of this point is making sure that you are listed as the person who "owns" the domain name rather than the company holding it in their name.
All domain names are "leased" for a period of time, rather than actually being technically "owned" by anyone. But, most people refer to them as being owned. There used to only be one company who was authorized to register domain names. Now there are many, and there is a lot of competition, mainly based on price. But, as long as you "own" your domain, you can transfer it to any of the companies that are authorized registrars. There is a restriction that you can't do a transfer within a short period before it's due for renewal (I think it's 90 days). Any company can charge you whatever they like when it's time to renew. Some companies periodically run special prices which apply to both new registrations and renewals, so when they have a special, it's a good time to renew. Some companies run transfer specials - for example, if you transfer your domain to them, they will add an extra year to your current term for $4.99, or something like that.
At one time, I purchased different domains from individuals who "owned" them. Since those people used different registrars, I had domains at a half a dozen different registrar companies. That made it very difficult to keep track of everything. I settled on one company that has good prices, runs periodic specials that usually apply to both new registrations and renewals, and provides you with full access to the domain records by just entering a User ID and Password you set up. I transferred all of my domains to them, and it's made things a lot easier. Even if I only had one domain to keep track of, I would still use them since they have good prices and making changes is so easy.
That was probably more detail than people wanted to know, but there is a lot to it. If anyone has any specific questions, or if I can be of assistance in any domain name issues, I am always willing to help people - please contact me off-list.
Thanks,
Mike Williams
L&M Gems
http://www.qualitygemcutting.com
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