Google Building a Domain Registration Service 69
Graculus (3653645) writes with this excerpt from The Next Web: Google [on Monday] revealed that it is building a domain registration service called Google Domains. The product is still an early work in progress, so it's in invite-only beta for now. Google's small business-facing division decided to build the product because, according to its research, 55 percent of small businesses still don't have a website. Since the domain acts as a website's foundation, Google decided to do more to help companies get started with their online presence. While Google Domains won't include hosting, website building providers Squarespace, Wix, Weebly and Shopify have signed on as partners.
Re:Next step (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Anti-Competitive (Score:5, Informative)
I'm sincerely apprehensive about potential outcomes associated with Google becoming a domain registrar, but I'm accepting reversal of the mod points I've expended thus far on this story to strenuously object to to the thoughtcrime-based insinuation made in the following excerpt:
There is no way to prove that Google won't give priority indexing to domains it registers.
This is the logical equivalent to a forward-looking conviction on the same premises as Glenn Beck Raped and Murdered a Young Girl in 1990 [wikipedia.org].
Re:Anti-Competitive (Score:5, Informative)
Gmail doesn't manage most of the planet's email by a long shot (Hotmail, ISPs email, Web hosting accounts email, China and other countries who try to avoid USA-based Internet services, etc) and email is compatible everywhere anyway. There's no lock-in.
Google is not the only search engine available, anyone can start an indexation service and anyone can get indexed by everyone. There's no lock-in.
Re:Getting popcorn (Score:5, Informative)
Google will invariably be better and more privacy and security conscious than 90% of existing registrars, even when you consider their core business model.
I personally would howl about Microsoft because their record with customer data is abyssmal-- for all of their talk about scroogling, they still cooperate with China with Skype and Bing.
Re:Anti-Competitive (Score:5, Informative)
Monopoly isnt owning many and varied pieces of a large sector; its being the dominant player in one market. Monopoly abuse is when you leverage that monopoly in one market to boost yourself in another. Not a lawyer, but I believe the degree of barrier to entry also factors in-- its hard to be a monopoly in bike repair because literally anyone can start a bike repair shop.
The only possible sector you could call Google a monopoly is search, and im not clear how they would be using that to boost their business in domain registration or vice versa. Im aware of their business model, but their track record makes me want them as a registrar over the likes of Godaddy or Network Solutions any day.