Chris Pirillo » domain

How to Choose a Domain Name

Chris — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 14:08:19 +0000

How to Choose a Domain Name is a post from Chris Pirillo

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The problem with registering domain names isn’t the registration process. They’re fairly inexpensive, and easy to register. The problem is that all the good names and addresses are already taken. Finding a decent one is sometimes a bit of a challenge. This is the reason I have created this new site – to help you find possible names for the perfect site for you!

This site is exceedingly easy to use. Give it a web address (news article, blog post, etc). The site will scan that web page, pull out two random words, and slap a .com on the end of the words. It will tell you whether or not the address is available. It will even ask you how many results you want!

If a site is already registered, there will be a large red X next to the result. If it’s not, there will be a link you can click to take you to a page that helps you buy it for yourself! All you have to do is plug in any address that exists on the web that deals with the topic matter you’re looking at creating a site for. How much easier can it get?

This is great to help you save time while trying to come up with the best possible name for your new venture. It will also save you the headache you’ll get from brainstorming for hours on end trying to think up something unique. Take a moment and check out our domain thinktank for yourself.

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Top Five Reasons You Should use Google Apps for your Domain

Chris — Thu, 16 Oct 2008 11:38:43 +0000

Top Five Reasons You Should use Google Apps for your Domain is a post from Chris Pirillo

Michael wrote me an email to share his list of reasons why you should be using Google Apps on your own domain… possibly even instead of something like Exchange.

Use your own domain. – This might not necessarily be a big deal to the vast majority of users but to people like me it is. For example i could use my own domain for my e-mail address. That gives me a much higher selection of (good) e-mail addresses than if i had a standard GMail, Yahoo!, hotmail etc. account. For example is it (for the most part) not possible to have an e-mail address like name@gmail.com. usually you would have to accept having something like name33482@gmail.com. not only is it longer, it also seems less professional (that of course is generally spoken). instead I can now have an e-mail address such as example@myname.com. Another thing is that Google also allows me to use my domain as a part of the URL that I write down to visit Googles services (such as GMail, Google Docs, Google Sites, etc.). that means that when I for example want to use Google docs or GMail I just have to visit mail.mydomain.com or docs.mydomain.com.
Use it with Google services. – Of course it is great that you can let Google take care of your e-mail system. but they do also deliver other great services such as Google docs which is a great office suite that does not require a local installation on your hard drive since all the software runs in your browser. Google also supplies with apps like Google Sites, Google calendar, etc. again and all of these apps run in your browser. that means that you do not waste up unnecessary hard drive space and you do not have to update the apps since Google takes care of that automatically.
Collaborate (without installation). – Another thing about “Google apps for your domain” is the great collaboration features. For instance, I could make a document in Google docs that someone else could edit at another point in time. This might not sound as a big deal since you could manually send the document to those that you are collaborating with. But Google apps takes care of that automatically. And if you wish for even more features you can also chat with those who are editing your document. Right from within your document!
It is free. – Google apps does not cost a dollar at all. Of course it requires you to purchase some kind of domain but that is usually fairly cheap. I pay around 7 dollars a year for my domain at www.cheapdomain.com. But Goolge themselves does not charge anything at all for this valuable service.
It is secure. – Yes, Google apps delivers a lot of secure things like a great spam-filter and anti-fishing in GMail. But what i find really secure is the fact that Googles servers take care of my e-mail, etc. and then also the fact that I use my own domain for my e-mail etc.. Googles servers are so fast and are almost never down (not working). that means that I am almost sure to get my e-mail as fast as possible. And since I can use my own domain name for my e-mail address I also know that if Google cancels my account then I can just use another e-mail service without changing my e-mail address. if my e-mail address were name@gmail.com and Google banned the account I would have lost the e-mail address forever.

Have you ever Been Cybersquatted?

Chris — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 07:21:11 +0000

Have you ever Been Cybersquatted? is a post from Chris Pirillo

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When I went to register Lockergnome years ago using GoDaddy, I was worried someone else would get it. There are people out there who purchase domain names that they feel will be a hot commodity, and then sit on them… or sell them for high amounts of money. This is called Cybersquatting. What is Cybersquatting, you ask? Cybersquatting is registering, trafficking in, or using a domain name with bad faith intent to profit from the goodwill of a trademark belonging to someone else. The cybersquatter then offers to sell the domain to the person or company who owns a trademark contained within the name at an inflated price.

The term is derived from “squatting,” which is the act of occupying an abandoned or unoccupied space or building that the squatter does not own, rent or otherwise have permission to use. Cybersquatting however, is a bit different in that the domain names that are being “squatted” are (sometimes but not always) being paid for through the registration process by the Cybersquatters. Cybersquatters usually ask for prices far greater than that at which they purchased it. Some cybersquatters put up derogatory remarks about the person or company the domain is meant to represent in an effort to encourage the subject to buy the domain from them. Others post paid links via Google, Yahoo, Ask.com and other paid advertising networks to the actual site that the user likely wanted, thus monetizing their squatting. As with many controversial issues, some argue that the dividing line of cybersquatting is difficult to draw, or that the practice is consistent with a capitalistic and free market ethos.

When was the last time you tried to look up a website to see if it’s available? Some people swear that if you do these lookups using a service like GoDaddy, a Cybersquatter will zap up the domain you want. Why don’t you just open a browser, and type in the URL of the site you’re thinking of buying? If you go to a website, you know it’s already taken. If it takes you nowhere… you know it should be available for you to buy!

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Web Hosting

Chris — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 05:05:57 +0000

Web Hosting is a post from Chris Pirillo

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There are a million places out there to buy your web hosting from. How do you know which is the right choice for you? What things should you keep in mind when choosing? These tips sent in by a community member should help ease your mind a bit.

Don’t buy what you don’t need. When buying a product, you buy it for what you want it to do, right? Hosting is no different. If it’s going to be an image hoster, why do you want a phpBB Board, or MediaWiki included? Consider how much traffic you expect to get, and look around.
Don’t be afraid to move your hosting around often. If there’s a better offer around in the short run, chances are you’re best taking it because by the time you roll around to needing to pay for hosting, you’ll still find some options which, for one year, are either hysterically cheap, or just plain free.
Look on the internet for voucher codes. If you think you’ve found the host for you, looked at their reputation, and decided ‘Yes, that’s who I want to go with’… take a look at their competitors again. A prime example of this is Dreamhost; their voucher codes can turn $100+ a year into $20 for the first year, with a domain name included.
If you’re getting free email, USE IT IF YOU CAN. Too many people still use hotmail addresses when they have hosting that provides them with email addresses. If you’re making a small business venture, a domain-name based address will say a lot more about your professionality than a hotmail, yahoo or aol email. I personally have one for Mail, MSN, Ebay and my Wii, so as to filter the unnecessary stuff as much as possible.
Always pay for your hosting up front initially. There’s nothing worse than changing providers and then realizing that your subscription payment is still recurring. Not only does it cause stress, but the problems that arise while getting the money back can make you wish you never tried them.

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Do I Really Own my Own Domain Name?

Chris — Wed, 26 Sep 2007 21:31:06 +0000

Do I Really Own my Own Domain Name? is a post from Chris Pirillo

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http://live.pirillo.com/ – GoDaddy is one sponsor for the live and recorded videos I do. By entering coupon code ‘Chris1′ at checkout, you can save 10%. Yes, I bring this up for a reason. Jeremy wrote in and wondered if when you buy a domain name, is it really yours? Do you really own it, and what can you do with it?

Yes. When you buy your domain name through GoDaddy or any other site, you in effect own that name. Unless you do something illegal with the domain or are infringing on a Copyright, the domain is yours to do with as you wish.

You can use whatever name you wish to put on the registration info that will be made public. However, make sure that you put a few layers of security between yourself and the outside world. Not long ago, I recorded a video about domain name privacy to help you establish this security.

There’s also an interview I did awhile back about selling a domain. I don’t recommend selling it on your own. Use a Domain Broker in order to protect yourself, and make sure that all your ducks are in a row.

Last piece of advice: always register and re-register (renew) your domain names using the same site/service when possible. You may actually receive junk snail mail at the address you used to register the domain(s) with. You’ll get offers galore, and many of them are not legit. Be careful, and always do your research.

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Domain Name Whois Registration Privacy

Chris — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 02:46:43 +0000

Domain Name Whois Registration Privacy is a post from Chris Pirillo

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http://live.pirillo.com/ – Clint asks “Is it a good investment to block personal info from a whois lookup to see that I own the site. We tell our kids how dangerous it is to put personal info out there; does it apply to adults? My name, phone number and home address is out there for the world to see. What is safe to put out there? I just dont know what content to include, and what to omit.”

When I registered my first domain, there were no privacy or anonymity options available. Thankfully, back then I had enough of a privacy layer to protect myself. Having that layer is crucial.

For a business address (especially when you work from home), you should invest in a PO Box, or some type of mail pickup location. It doesn’t cost that much, and provides one layer of security between yourself and the outside world.

For a phone number, I recomend using a disposable number. By disposable, I mean one that is not tied to your home phone. I personally have my 888-pirillo number that I use through Vonage. It’s not tied to any physical phone, and when I want to open it up to take actual live calls, I can. This is another layer of that privacy.

By ‘whois lookup’, Clint is referring to someone finding out who or what a particular domain name is registered to. When you buy a domain name, you would need to enter the whois information. Using an email account set up for only this purpose, and having that separate address and phone number are both ways to protect yourself. Domain registration sites now offer extra protection by allowing you to keep most of your information private. It may cost a little more, but is certainly worth the extra expense.

Always keep yourself safe. You have to be careful when sharing any kind of information. Take the extra time and steps necessary to ensure your information and life are kept as private as you would like them to be.

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Free Or Cheap Web Hosting

Chris — Mon, 06 Aug 2007 22:36:11 +0000

Free Or Cheap Web Hosting is a post from Chris Pirillo

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http://live.pirillo.com/ – Sad to say, there really is no “free” hosting if you want to own your Web site. You can buy your own domain name and secure reliable hosting at very good prices, though. Our sponsor GoDaddy provides domain purchasing services, as well as helping you to obtain hosting.

In order to actually own your own Web site, you must do two things. First, you must buy your domain name. This is what the name of your site will be. For instance, lockergnome.com is the name of one of my sites. If you visit our live chat, you can now use the GoDaddy bot. Simply type an exclamation mark, and the name of the site you want. You will then be given a clickable link within the chat room that will take you right to GoDaddy’s checkout. There are other sites, of course, where you can purchase a domain name. What sites have you used – or do you use – to buy yours?

The second thing you have to do is to get Web hosting. There are many good companies out there to choose from, with excellent pricing. Since you can take your domain name with you wherever you go, the market is highly competitive for hosting services. Since I have several sites that attract a lot of people, I choose to go the route of buying my own servers. This is something to look into for high traffic sites, but not for an average user. One reliable and inexpensive hosting company that I’ve used in the past is Laughing Squid. Our friend Scott there does an excellent job with photography, as well.

We’d love to hear from you. Tell us about your Web hosting company. What does it charge? Does it have good customer service? Would you recommend it to our other visitors?

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How to Handle Remote Tech Support

chris@lockergnome.com (Chris Pirillo) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 06:30:00 GMT

Using GoToAssist is the easiest way to view and control another person's computer online. Use it to provide instant technical support to family, friends and customers. Start a session with just one click, and instantly connect with the other party.

Network Tools for Windows

chris@lockergnome.com (Chris Pirillo) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 06:30:00 GMT

You need these network tools, no matter which operating systems and networks you have to support. SolarWinds ipMonitor: Affordable Network Monitoring for SMBs. Get turnkey network, server and application availability monitoring with SolarWinds ipMonitor v9.0. This easy-to-use, reliable solution for SMBs delivers out-of-the-box availability monitoring so you always know exactly what's up with Active Directory, DNS, Exchange, FTP, Web, IMAP, MS SQL Server, and SMTP. Download your free trial today. Or, try their totally free tools! And, through 2/29, save 20% when you purchase ipMonitor 9.0.

Get Your Own Web Site

chris@lockergnome.com (Chris Pirillo) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 06:30:00 GMT

Starting at just $3.99/month, web hosting from GoDaddy includes 99.9% uptime, 24/7 support and free access to GoDaddy Hosting Connection, THE place to install over 30 FREE applications sure to help you get the most from your hosting plan and Web site. Enter code CP2 at checkout, and save an additional 10% on any order.

Plus, as a friend of Chris Pirillo, enter code CHRIS7, that's C-H-R-I-S and the number 7, when you check out, and save an additional 10% on any order. Get your piece of the internet at GoDaddy.com.

VMware and Parallels for Virtual Machines

chris@lockergnome.com (Chris Pirillo) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 06:30:00 GMT

It doesn't matter if you're running on Windows or Mac OS X - every power user needs either Parallels or VMware (or both). There's never been an easier way to test software without destroying your primary operating system's stability. Think of how many times you wish you could press a 'reverse' button on your computer. Plus, there's no easier way to try new Linux distributions - see what all the fuss is about. Run Windows in OS X, run Linux in Windows, but the best way to do either is with VMware and/or Parallels.

Coupons for Online Shopping

chris@lockergnome.com (Chris Pirillo) — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 07:56:13 GMT

This feed is fueled by Lockergnome Online Shopping and Coupon Codes

Before you shop next time, see if we have a coupon first.