Domaining.com acquires DNGator.com

[Gerry]

Just so everyone is aware, there is a great domain industry aggregator at FreshDrop.net if you want an alternative. We have 3 aggregations of domain industry news, blogs, and domain forums.

Bob

Indeed. This is another one I use.

Why?

While there may be duplication, having more than one source of information is paramount to getting ideas, updates, news.

This may be domaining, but those same words should apply to all professions and life in general.

If not using multiple sources, I suggest looking at Google Chrome or NetVibes for customizing a desktop and feeds.

My desktop contains 4 subsections -

Home Page - consisting of local news, weather, national and international headlines and some fav sites (like SlickDeals) - all are RSS feeds
Tech-
Medical-
Domaining-

Those are the different tabs/pages. All RSS feeds from numerous aggregators, sites, sources, journals.

Getting organized and staying informed are key to nearly all endeavors.

[petrosc]

congratulations to both of you

[Acro]

There is no deep secret; I got tired of baby-sitting the project. In the process of developing and launching it I learned a lot of things and discovered venues and niches I wasn't aware of. I will now use that knowledge for future projects. I never viewed Francois and Domaining.com as "competition". Indeed, having more options to performing a task as mundane as RSS feed aggregation is good; large corporate monopolies are not healthy for the industry. However, Domaining.com has also learned from recent events and I am sure Francois who is an intelligent entrepreneur won't repeat mistakes of the past. I support his efforts; there are also other alternatives out there for those of you that for some reason prefer a different layout or method for the delivery of domain news. The bottom line: it was a business transaction, nothing more, nothing less.

[katherine]

Congrats to both

[MAllie]

I'm still very much a newbie so, please, what is a 'domain aggregator'?

Whatever it is, it sounds as if Acro had a good one. But are we not entitled to do what we want with our own sites? I thought the whole business of domaining was buying and selling, whether before development or after. How is this unethical? It's not as if someone's sold off America's social services, lol.

[Banned: democrat]

'domain aggregator'?

A place where the same genre of information is compiled into one section.

It's just business and a good one at that.

Best of luck to both people in their further endeavors!

Patty

[Argie]

Congrats Theo!!!

[MAllie]

Thanks, Patty, but I'm afraid I'm no wiser - I'm such a nontechie. If by 'genre of information' you mean type of information, I'm not sure how this differs from any site giving particular information on a niche or specialist subject. Maybe it's best if I take a look at a couple of the sites mentioned by others earlier in the thread.

[dominator]

Thanks, Patty, but I'm afraid I'm no wiser - I'm such a nontechie.

domain aggregator would be something else
i would rather call it domain(ing) news aggregator

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aggregator

[David G]

DNgator.com I believe was likely not a high traffic site so do not see that much value from a traffic viewpoint. However, it appears to have been purchased based on current or lasting traffic value since if its purchase was in-fact attributable to the (very nice) dngator website it's odd the site would be taken down in favor of its use as a simple redirect. In addition, since it is a brandable name I am sure it will get little direct navigation traffic in the future especially with the site not active, making the buy even more unusual.

[Banned: democrat]

You know..
I know I come off as goofy and perhaps to some of you whacked. Yet, the thing that I observe is that there are a lot of politics in this business just as there is anywhere else. Theo made a business decision based off what he foresaw in his future of business.

Some things that I have observed in this community despite all the business that is done. There is a lot of cliche's and emotions. The domaining industry is young and needs to have some pioneers who aren't afraid to step outside the circle and start looking to the places that haven't been tapped.

Theo stated he learned many things while managing DNGator. Well, that's what this experience was supposed to do. He will move on and probably create something even greater.

Let's just congratulate Theo and Francois, on a successful transaction between them and get it going on to other topics that will pave the way of domaining.

Then maybe someone can go make a resource list of all the main places to go to get information.

Sounds like a great plan to me!

[TheLegendaryJP]

Congrats to Acro for making some cash

[exponent]

Francois, I just want to clarify that I congratulate you on the purchase. I have nothing against you, I'm just slightly disappointed in seeing a great service that I used in addition to Domaining and NameBee simply redirected. Each service has its strong points and each services has things I don't like.

Acro, you're one of the greats here. I don't want any bad blood between us. I guess I'm kind of a sore when it comes seeing contradictory statements, preparing to make an offer for the business, and then feeling like the rug was pulled out from under my feet. I hope that makes sense in some way.

Tia, I'm well aware that Theo (Acro) can do whatever he wants. I'm not judging his character, I'm questioning the "Art of the Deal". I won't disclose any more, but my check book was ready and waiting.

[Gerry]

DNgator.com I believe was likely not a high traffic site so do not see that much value from a traffic viewpoint. However, it appears to have been purchased based on current or lasting traffic value since if its purchase was in-fact attributable to the (very nice) dngator website it's odd the site would be taken down in favor of its use as a simple redirect. In addition, since it is a brandable name I am sure it will get little direct navigation traffic in the future especially with the site not active, making the buy even more unusual.

Good points.

By comparison, it is difficult to compare this site to anything else OTHER THAN a comparable site in the same market.

If a domain news aggregator's traffic is 0.0000001% compared to Reuter's news aggregator then that simply is not a fair comparison.

But, if 85% of the DOMAIN MARKET is using, viewing, or linking to DNgator while at the same time 0.001% use Reuters then the comparison is again not fair.

In news, perhaps Reuter's and AP are the two dominant ones for comparison's sake.

In medicine, WebMD and MedScape.

In domains, not sure.

Point is, it is all about the market you are in.

When dealing with niche markets or specialty sites, there are so many factors to exclude when measuring success. If the traffic to DNgator was only 50-60 a day (arbitrary numbers) yet 85-90% of domainers used it or linked to it, would one be likely to place the valuation on traffic? Of course not.

Better is not always a matter of who is bigger. Ask GM about that.

Traffic in this case would be negligible in negotiations.

(remember: these are totally made up numbers to illustrate points of WHICH numbers have value and merit in this instance)

[Onward]

I think DNGator.com basically kept domaining.com in check...Domaining.com started out pretty decent - then it got all crazy trying to force you to sign up and pay....

Last I checked...domaining.com changed it's ways...we will see how long that will hold up for.

Congrats to Acro for changing domaining.com...oh yeah...and making a few bucks.

[MAllie]

Thanks, Dominator. So it's along the lines of DNJournal, only covering a different area?

[Acro]

Acro, you're one of the greats here. I don't want any bad blood between us. I guess I'm kind of a sore when it comes seeing contradictory statements, preparing to make an offer for the business, and then feeling like the rug was pulled out from under my feet. I hope that makes sense in some way.

I think you need a reality check. You PM'ed me offering to take a "stake" in the domain. You never made an offer, other than note that you're a programmer who delved in RSS / aggregator projects. I think that you're trying to create an impression in this thread for reasons of your own. I never considered offering the domain for sale to you in person; any such claim is untrue. Sorry that you feel "sore" but I think you need to check your facts. The timing of your PM and the sale is purely coincidental. The sale is closed and anyone who feels "cheated" over a free service needs to open their wallet first and then complain.

domain aggregator would be something else
i would rather call it domain(ing) news aggregator

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aggregator

I also have DomainNewsAggregator.com for sale in the auctions forum. That's a chance for anyone willing to build their own service to do so with the generic description of it.

[EJS]

Good points.

By comparison, it is difficult to compare this site to anything else OTHER THAN a comparable site in the same market.

If a domain news aggregator's traffic is 0.0000001% compared to Reuter's news aggregator then that simply is not a fair comparison.

But, if 85% of the DOMAIN MARKET is using, viewing, or linking to DNgator while at the same time 0.001% use Reuters then the comparison is again not fair.

In news, perhaps Reuter's and AP are the two dominant ones for comparison's sake.

In medicine, WebMD and MedScape.

In domains, not sure.

Point is, it is all about the market you are in.

When dealing with niche markets or specialty sites, there are so many factors to exclude when measuring success. If the traffic to DNgator was only 50-60 a day (arbitrary numbers) yet 85-90% of domainers used it or linked to it, would one be likely to place the valuation on traffic? Of course not.

Better is not always a matter of who is bigger. Ask GM about that.

Traffic in this case would be negligible in negotiations.

(remember: these are totally made up numbers to illustrate points of WHICH numbers have value and merit in this instance)

My blog is featured on Domaining, Namebee, and DNGator, so I think I can give you a fair comparison from my Google Analytics account.

Referring sites for the last 30 days:

Referrer #1 Domaining.com - 4,370 visitors
Referrer #3 Namebee.com - 774 visitors
Referrer #25 DNGator.com - 43 visitors

[DomainingCom]

Why I decided to not maintain DNGator.com and simply redirect the domain to Domaining.com:

a) We don't have any PHP Hosting nor have any PHP knowledge.

b) Except the colors that are different the info was the same and basically displayed the same way.
Plus there is NO need to sign up in domaining.com to read news.
So basically the 2 sites offer for free the same content in a similar way.

c) It's more easy to only maintain/improve one site, for many reasons it made more sense this site be domaining.com

Old DNGator.com visitor should not see any change reading news at domaining.com, at the inverse he will also benefit of our real time closing auctions (Afternic, sedo, GoDaddy, ...) pane and other additional services to come.


If for any reason you only want to read domaining news you don't have to sign up at domaining.com.
Sign up is only needed to can receive our newsletter, buy/sell domains, advertise headlines or can be listed in the new domainers yellow page: Domainers.org

And again you are all welcome as domainers.

[Acro]

The bottom line is, Francois bought the domain and service and he's entitled to use it as he wishes. I see a few people being "disgruntled" but the bottom line is, Domaining.com offers a quality service that covers the needs of domainers. There were times in its past that caused some uproar, and Francois has changed his business plan accordingly.

Should people create alternatives? Of course! It's the nature of our business; it's also the nature of business to buy, sell, exchange, liquidate and merge projects as seen fit by the officers of these businesses.

And now, go sign up at Domaining.com so that you get to add your domainer profile at Domainers.org