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Comment by ktpsns | Hacker News Reader

I can understand why this is an amusing hobby. However, let's be honest: This kind of activity is mafia-style, protection money for blocking the system. I can understand why domain registrars have fees, because they run infrastructure. But people like this guy speculate. Speculation on land is one thing, but speculation on internet assets just render big parts of the domain system useless.

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Well, it is a free and largely unregulated market, so speculators can speculate as much as they want. When Google launched the dev tld they discouraged this by making special domains premium, i.e. much more costly to acquire. Ideas like that could change the market, but who know's if that's ever going to happen (for tlds such as .com).

If you need a domain, you can buy it from him. It's better than all unused domains that are being squatted on for decades.

Edit: is there a .socialism TLD already, that is unsquattable, and you only get access if you are deemed worthy by the committee? Seriously, lighten up, people. And if you don't like the system, create a better one.

what’s the difference between him and the squatters? nice ui and a friendly attitude?

Pretty much. At least the squatted pages aren't the internet equivalent of floating plastic in the sea.

Yup, taking the friction out of the process. You can also see at a glance what interesting domains are available.

Edit: another benefit is that you can sell your domain to him, if you have uselessly squatted on it for years.

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