Question About Website Domains!

[ApocalypseNow]

heres what I need to know,

Me & some friends are going to start a website, what I want to know is how to register a domain name so that no one can make you pay for it or so they can't steal it... Like information on how to do that..


Keep in mind that Im a newbie when it comes to Domains and how the whole thing works.

 

[Stormy]

mayb you should have a search for domains on google and see what you come up with.. might find some good companys that can host your website. aso there are some free ones like geocities but they can be abit annoying coz you gotta have geocities in the webaddress and you will have loads of crappy geocities pop ups

 

[ApocalypseNow]

I have already found a webserver, now I want to make up my own domain name... but is there a way I can do that without paying a dime to a different company?


EDIT: Keep in mind that I will make a Domain Name that no one else will/should have registerd..

 

[The Dark Elf]

I have already found a webserver, now I want to make up my own domain name... but is there a way I can do that without paying a dime to a different company?


EDIT: Keep in mind that I will make a Domain Name that no one else will/should have registerd..

There used to be a few companies offering 'free' domains.. BUT, there was always a catch. They'd let you have your domain, then a few months down the road, without any warning, freeze the domain and offer to sell it to you. They all used different excuses "we've changed our policy" "you've misused the service" "you've removed our ads" etc. and so on.

Point is, pay for it. It's only a few dollars/pounds. Try www.123-reg.co.uk if your in the UK, very cheap prices and a good service, they wont screw you around. Then you can either buy hosting space from them at extra cost, or simply forward the domain to another location, with the option of cloaking the actual url eg: if your site is on www.someispcompany.com/apocalypsenow/webspace. Then with the url cloaked, people would only see www.yournewdomainname.com


Edit: Oh and yeah, pretty much all of them require you to have a credit card. There is one I've heard of that allows you to pay with a cheque or postal order aswell, but I wish I could remember their name. Cause I refuse to use credit cards (too tempting to spend ) so could make use of other methods


Edit2: Also once you've registered a domain, nobody can take it from you, unless your breaking some law ie: registered a domain that is the same as someone elses product or film or something. Then they can fight you for it. Otherwise its yours for the duration of your contract, usually 2 years or more. During that time its yours and yours alone. And even if the registeration company you went with ceases trading, you should still retain your domain as its done through the official channels