Traditionally concerned about the evolution of its solutions, MetaInfo - premier provider of network and Internet Protocol (IP) address software, online available at: www.metainfo.com , has launched the newly-enhanced version of its Meta IP solution. Boasting greatly extended functionality, Meta IP v5.5 is committed to optimizing customers' ability in the processes of managing, controlling and securing their domain name system (DNS) and Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol (DHCP) systems, as well as the entire IP network.
Silver Screen Studios, Inc. (www.silverscreenstudiogroup.com), announced on September 24 that it has reserved the domain name www.murderbydeception.com as the official website for the movie "Murder by Deception". The official website will be activated on September 24 after the behind-the-scenes footage is encoded in a high definition format using Microsoft Windows Media 9 HD codec for broadband access (www.microsoft.com/windows/windowsmedia/default.aspx).
An Australian judge has branded the actions of two Internet domain conmen as "nothing less than deceitful" after they sent out 50 000 fake invoices to domain name holders in the UK. The dodgy invoices from UK Internet Registry (www.ukinternetregistry.com) were sent out last year after Chesley Rafferty and Bradley Norrish had hoovered up the details of thousands of domain name holders following a data mining attack on the .uk WHOIS database. The attack in February 2003 was so bad it forced the .uk Internet domain name registry Nominet (www.nominet.org.uk) to suspend its WHOIS database for nine hours to prevent the theft of further details. After pursuing UK Internet Registry for 18 months, Nominet has won a milestone legal battle that centres on infringement of copyright, a breach of Australian fair trade laws and the issuing of misleading notices.
VisitScotland (http://visitscotland.com), the body responsible for tourism in Scotland, spent £7.4 million developing its website but failed to buy up one of the most popular domain versions of its name - visitscotland.co.uk. Anyone who types http://visitscotland.co.uk into an Internet browser is told that the website is for sale, but VisitScotland has never bothered to buy it. Instead, it uses the site visitscotland.com, which was set up using a loan of £7.4 million from the Scottish Executive, but none was used to buy the domain name visitscotland.co.uk, despite its similarity to the other name.
According to a long-discussed decision taken by the U.S. House of Representatives and released two days ago, the jail period for domain fraudsters has been extended by seven years. This decision represents an adequate reaction to the alarming assumption that about ten percent of the multitute of domain name registrations webwide are supposedly conducted under deceptive identities. The decision is on its way to be considered by the Senate.
UK hosting provider Namesco Limited (www.names.co.uk) announced on September 22 the acquisition of Simply.com Limited (www.simply.com), which has been trading since 1998 as a domain registrar and now has 91 000 domain names and some 9 600 hosted accounts, for 2.15 million pounds. The merger instantly doubles the size of Namesco, which will now manage over 170 000 domain names, firmly positioning the company within the top domain registration and hosting providers in the United Kingdom.
WebHosting.Info (www.WebHosting.Info), the largest research and statistics portal dedicated towards the web services industry, in collaboration with LogicBoxes (www.logicboxes.com), a leading registrar solutions provider, announced on September22 that it has officially started publishing comprehensive statistical reports on the performance of all domain name registrars worldwide.
Leading domains of Chechen separatists such as ChechenPress.com and CaucasusCenter.com became unavailable to visitors on September 14 after Lithuanian government refused a Russian request to shut down a pro-Chechen website that published a $20 million reward for assistance in the capture of Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying it cannot take action without a court order.
Malls.com (www.malls.com), a short domain name that describes a multi-billion dollar industry is up for auction on eBay (www.ebay.com). The prestigious domain name has a minimum bid price of $100 000 with no Minimum Reserve price, which means that the bidder who has the highest bid when the auction ends, as long as it exceeds the $100 000 opening bid, will be declared the winner.
Network Solutions (www.networksolutions.com), a leading domain name registrar and web solutions provider, announced on September 20 a new backorder service that helps Network Solutions' customers get the domain names they want by giving them preferred access to expired .com and .net domain names. The enhanced backorder service allows customers to place requests for currently registered domain names and enables them to get the name, if the registration on the domain expires and the name becomes available. There is no upfront fee to place a backorder and customers only pay if the backorder is successful.
