Deus Ex Machina vicc§cia.net.au wrote:

>so only MIT are allowed to profit on domain names? that sounds fair. NOT!

Too true in theory, Deus (Can I call you Deus?).  The actual rule states:

4.2 Domain Name Licence Transfer
The licence to use the com.au domain name cannot be transferred or sold to
another party.

Rohan Levy rlevy§vicnet.net.au wrote:

>Why buy the company when only the business name is holder of value?
>Register a business name GREAT IDEAS ($70), register the domain name
>GREATIDEAS.COM.AU ($125) and sell the business - $1m .

As Rohan says "Why buy the company?".  Of course, Rohan is quite right if
you are the first to register then just use a business name ($114 in NSW)
rather than a company (about $950).  I don't know what State Rohan's lives
in but $70 is OK.

But if I want to sell a domain name, I can't really do that as INWW won't
accept a transfer from one person to another.  I have to terminate the name.
Then the buyer applies for the name and pays a fresh registration fee.  The
process is called "terminate and re-apply".

The danger is that in between somebody else might get the domain.  There's
no guarantee in what they carefully call an "expression of interest".

But I am allowed to sell the BUSINESS (which includes the name).  This is a
loophole as INWW will amend the registration details without cancelling.  No
risk and I can charge what I like for the business.  Even Rohan's $1 million
!!

The reverse applies if I am BUYING a domain name.  If the existing owner has
a company I buy the company;  if the existing owner has a business name, I
buy the business name.  Either way INWW will do the transfer.

However a "company" has quite a different legal status to a "business name"
and INWW doesn't understand that you can buy one but not the other.

I admit it's a bit of a subtle difference.

Patrick Corliss
patrick§quad.net.au
QUAD Quality Addressing Pty Ltd
Tel: 02-9740-9200