Ok I don’t get it. Why not register `fraser.nameˋ directly? Or pick any TLD and register ˋ a 2nd-level domain (ˋfraser.tld`)? It just feels easier, plus this way you don’t have to pay for any new member of your family?

If aaa.bbb.name is registered, then bbb.name cannot be registered.

bbb.name can ONLY be registered if it is not already registered AND there are no 3rd levels registered on bbb.name currently.

https://manage.whois.com/kb/servlet/KBServlet/faq1485.html

> Or pick any TLD and register ˋ a 2nd-level domain (ˋfraser.tld`)?

How would that help? The problem is that he's losing access to all the accounts currently tied to fraser.name, if he is changing that he can just use any arbitrary domain anyways.

I mean in the first place. Now it's too late indeed.

The post sounds like that wasn't possible; that this TLD operated by exception with third-level domains. It would be like asking why you don't just register smith.uk instead of smith.co.uk: because you can't (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.uk#Second-level_domains)

That's just my reading of the situation though. The person could now hope they're the first to claim their second-level domain once it becomes up for grabs, but there's probably a dozen other people with a fraser subdomain that would want the same, plus however many hundreds of scalper scum. Probably the best you can hope for is that whoever does get it, has the decency to honor the original third-level domains for a reasonable fee

> It would be like asking why you don't just register smith.uk instead of smith.co.uk: because you can't

You can. Anyone can register a .uk, and you don't need to own the .co.uk

Wikipedia says "second-level domains are managed by various government agencies, and generally more strongly controlled" besides the exceptions mentioned like co.uk. Why else would anyone ever have gone for a third-level domain?

If they've recently changed that and I'm misreading Wikipedia, that doesn't change the underlying point that the answer was "you couldn't". Otherwise I've grossly misunderstood the whole post and how verisign is proposing to cancel this person's third-level domain

There will other people with the Fraser surname in the exact same position.

Because only one lucky person can own `fraser.name` at any one time in your model. And whilst that lucky person might be able to register their family members for free. There will be countless more (unrelated) Frasers who won't be able to register (even for money) their own `FIRST.fraser.name`.

So the argument goes, society as a whole gains more if we prevent anyone from owning `fraser.name`.

A legitimate alternative though, is to register `FIRST-fraser.name`

At the beginning of the existence of the .name TLD you couldn't do that, you were forced to register firstname.lastname.name and provide an ID to justify registering this specific domain.

With it you got an email redirection from firstname@lastname.name to the address of your choice. At some point this feature was discontinued (I assume when VeriSign took control of the .name TLD), a bit after it was decided (again by VeriSign) to allow registering first level .name domain. My main email address stopped working from one day to another without me being warned in any way.

When this happened I've emailed VeriSign and my registrar at the time, and tried several time since then, to be able to register the first level domain I'm the only one using, but they categorically refuse, despite recognizing that a single subdomain has ever been registered. They kept saying that I could just let the domain expire, wait for the grace period, and register it once it's liberated, hoping that no one does it before me, and without any solution for the downtime in the mean time…

And now this… fuck VeriSign -_-

This really sounds like VeriSign has no business owning .name … best possible outcome would be transferring it to somebody who will retain the originally intended services.

It has been extreamly clear VeriSign has no business doing anaything for years.

What a perfect example of the sort of fuckery Verisign would do. You have the simplest use case and they can't even help you transition onto the scheme THEY WANT everyone to use now.

The firstname@lastname.name email forwarding is still working for me. I think only some registrars support it, though.

Really? Mine have been discontinued without notice something like 15 years ago!

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