For our last post of the year, I thought I would out give out some credit for some of the achievements in the domain space for 2008, in no particular order:
Rick Schwartz. I have been involved with domains since 1997. If I had been blogging all along, I’m sure Rick would have made the list almost every year, and this year is no exception. Whether it’s his monster sales like ireport.com or his development deals like property.com and widgets.com, or his ability to create and operate a show bringing hundreds of domainers together a few times a year, or his insight you can find on his own blog, Rick certainly deserves some Major Props this year.
Google. Yes its the company we all love to hate, but I think Google deserves some Props for 2 moves it made in 2008. At the beginning of 2008, many thought Google would be dropping the domain channel. Towards the end of the year with its announcement of Adsense for Domains, Google has increased its presence in the domain marketplace. For opening up a direct relationship with anyone who has a domain to its parking program, Google gets a Bigup from us. The Google move that earns a BigUp is its decision to drop the proposed ad deal with Yahoo. Facing certain government anti-trust litigation, which may have opened their entire business to scrutiny and regulation, Google made the smart move to walk away from the Yahoo deal, showing that sometimes the best deal is no deal.
Philip Corwin. As the voice of the ICA in Washington, outspent and outnumbered, Phil was able to get the Snowe Bill derailed in short order. Phil also represented domain holders, in the Kentucky Seizure order and in many issues of importance to domainers.
For my money, we are very lucky to have Mr. Corwin on our side and is the major reason I continue to strongly support the ICA.
iMEGA. The Interactive Media Entertainment & Gaming Association trade group know as iMEGA, took the lead in fighting the Kentucky domain Seizure order and while groups like the ICA, the ACLU and others filed briefs with the court, the fight against the order was lead and funded by this trade group and its members. If this order was allowed to stand without challenge its long term effect would be far reaching and a problem for all domain holders. BigUps to iMEGA.
Andrew Allemann. It’s one thing to find and write about improprieties, complain and ask for change, but its quite a feat when you go from writing a post, to getting a one and one public interview with the CEO of one of the biggest corporations in our space, and then getting them to change their policy, all within less than a month, proving why Andrew’s DomainNameWire.com, is one of the most widely read blog, in this industry and on our daily must read list. Bigups to Andrew.
Godaddy.com. When it was pointed out by several publications including our’s that employees of Godaddy were bidding on TDNAM auctions, Godaddy put a stop to the practice. When it was pointed out that Godaddy was making money off of trademarked domains by having high starting bids on domains with traffic and earnings, and also on non-trademarked domains basically bidding against its customers, Godaddy stopped the practice and now starts all expired domain auctions at $10. Always on the list of the best private companies to work for, a big contributor to charities and continuously banging away with lots of commericals for domain names on television, put’s Godaddy on our list for 2008. BigUps to Godaddy.
My Wife. Wow, if I thought I spent a lot of time on the computer in 2007, nothing compared to 2008 and the time I spent now with the addition of the blog. Judi has been my support and love for over 20 years and makes all things possible. My hope for all of you, is that you have a wife, husband or significant other who gives you the love and support that I get which allows you to move succeed in your professional and family life.
If you have any other people or companies you wish to give a shout out to, feel free to add.
Finally to all the readers, I wish you a healthy and happy new year. I want to thank you all for your support in 2008, and our new Google Page rank of 6. Bigups to the all the readers and especially those who take sometime to comment.
Now out and celebrate the end of this horrible year, and I will see you all on the flip side.
Goodbye 2008, not going to miss you.
Rick Schwartz is a discredit to the domain industry, running a private board on which freedom of speech is not allowed.
Since you didn’t put Yourself on the list Michael, I will 😉 . Your a great person, blogger, domainer and much more.
All the best in 2009
Jamie Zoch
Jamie
Thanks
Best to you as well
Jon
I think the operative word is “private”.
Rick’s was a private board, opened to people by inviation only, and like a country club in which you have to apply to join and if you are accepted you have to play by the rules of the club.
If you don’t want to play by the rules don’t join.
By the way, since you brought it up, it was people with attitudes like yourself that caused Rick to close the board a while ago, which was a big loss to those on it.
Thanks for all you do, Mike- and the example you lead by. Hva e safe, happy and away-from-the computer-type New Years.
Michael,
I don’t believe I broke any posted rules before I was thrown off the board for responding, in the most respectful way I could, to what I felt were completely unjustified attacks on my character.
Now what attitude are you referring to?
rick has been a visionary for the industry.and yes rick is tempermental all narcissitic visionaries are.
however i expect ricks board to be back up in the future..and schultz will have to clean up his act.
and will be cut out in the future.
and rick will lead us all to the digital future…..
Mike – THANKS !
I love reading the responses from:
Big Name Domainers, and
Not-Quite-So-Big-But-Needed-Domainers.
Sometimes I find the NQSB domainers have
some great insights.
But a lot of Who’s Who in the Domain world,
respond on your blog from time to time.
I think it has something to do with Quality.
I registered my own name in 2000.
But, continued myself in Real Estate.
Started Learning domains in 2004.
Grew lots in domain knowledge in 2008.
Late to the party?
Nah…..
This is AMERICA.
Lots of opportunity.
Lots.
Just keep Blogging so your readership will
respond and I can keep learning and learning
from all of them.
Thanks,
Ed – Michigan (cold up here!)
( and tell Judi thanks for sharing you with us.)
Jon
I don’t know the situation you had with Rick or why he banned you from the board, that is your and his business.
The reference I made about “attitude” was that found in your comment.
Mike you should be at the topp of thhe kist for brining us great poosts.
Well Done!
Happy 2009!
Its not long arrrived here in the uk
Michael,
My comment simply criticized Schwartz for tyranically running a private board. I don’t think that reflects well on the industry. You are of course free to disagree but I think a vague criticism of my attitude is inappropriate.
I like your blog and wish you a happy new year.
I agree with regfeenames.
Props to you, Mike Berkens, for one of the best blogs in the domain space.
Have a happy, prosperous and safe new year everyone!
Mike, thank you for your hard work writing compelling and relevant articles on the domain industry! Although you started your blog later than some others, you quickly got it among domainers’ most popular blogs. TheDomains.com has a place in my RSS reader, but it’s one of the few blogs I also directly navigate to on a regular basis.
Regarding Rick, I was lucky enough to having been a member of his board up to the time when it was closed down. I am not a person who follows the “big guys” or leaders of any industry, so what I’m writing here I write due to respect and from a completely unbiased point of view. Rick has a strong personality, but as you pointed out, TTF was his private board, which he has always compared to his living room. He is free to accept or not accept any new members. Considering this and that he was willing to hear from his members recommend others who may be good additions to the board, I would say the forum was actually quite open. Instead of only inviting a handful of personal contacts, he allowed people in he did not know because he trusted those already on the board to make the right decision. Even if you didn’t look at Rick’s other achievements in the domain industry, such as his record domain sales, he would still deserve props for his private board as well as for having helped organize the TRAFFIC shows for all those years.
Also props to all those on your list.
Now, I wish all of you out there in the domain jungle a Happy and Healthy New Year 2009!
Mike
Thank you for all od your hard work and time committed to make each of your readers more in tune with the domain industry and the business world at large. Your props to Rick Schwartz were right on and well deserved. I don’t know of anyone who gives more of his knowledge of domains, projections into the future and the business world in general than Rick. He has taken a lot of undeserved crap from people like Jon Schultz who apparently can’t see the forest for the trees and I admire him for his stamina and thank him for being my partner in T.R.A.F.F.I.C.
I would like to give my own BigUp to Mike for his dedication to the industry. I could not imagine what the domain world would be without Mike or his blog.
Also, Rick Schwartz is the King and father of this industry. And sometimes a great father can be unappreciated by some.
…but those of us who are smart enough can learn and prosper because of men like Rick.
Trust me, I personally know what its like to have a great father, Howard Neu, and I love and appreciate him…its great!!
-Ray
PS- well deserved BigUps to Judi…she is terrific!
Howard,
When I wrote you that I suspected Rick was behind the telephoned death threat that I received, you replied that he couldn’t have been because you were with him in New York. Were you with him 24 hours a day? You apparently will defend Rick without regard for the truth of your statements.
I was not trying to say that Rick is not an insightful man and that he has not helped people. As I’ve said before I was helped tremendously by the knowledge which I gained on his board. But that doesn’t give him the right to treat people disrespectfully or to spread falsity about them, as I know from personal experience that he does. I don’t want to take up too much space here but will provide details if Michael requests them.
There is a big difference between productive business networking and cultism, where people who don’t tow the party line have to be attacked and ostracized so the group can maintain its collective illusion of superiority. I have seen too much cultism in the domain industry – a lot of it revolving around Rick Schwartz – and hope that voices of reason can bring us to a higher level.
Mike,
Happy New Year to you and Judi! My wife and I wish you both the best of health, joy, prosperity, and happiness in this new year.
I think your shot outs are all well deserved, bravo.
I’d like to give a shot out to the domainers with a voice; all the bloggers, all the members of the forums, and all the members of the domain name social networks. The discussions create friendships and partnerships, and the overall sharing of quality information are all priceless.
Here’s to the new year and may good times be ahead!
Jarred
?
Jarred
Thanks so much for the warm wishes.
Mike, I frequent this blog and your posts more then any other blog out there on world wide web. Would like to give a shout out to yah for constructive and knowledge full posts.
Have a wonderful new year ahead.
–
Jay M
ParkingFirm.com
In the interest of fairness I want to amend my statement above to add that I don’t have thorough knowledge of the details of Rick Schwartz’s treatment of any person other than myself. My logic in using the word “people” was the idea that since I am a person and he has spread falsity about me (in a DNForum thread, at least), therefore it is correct to say that he spreads falsity about people. If that logic was incorrect then my statement was incorrect, and I don’t want to spread falsity about him.
Jay
Thanks
Best wishes for a great new year to you and your family
Mike,
Just back from a break and wanted to wish you and Judi a healthy and happy 2009. Look fwd to seeing you guys in LA.
Chris
Happy 2009
See you in a few weeks