Domainr Blog

• 2012-01-26

  Domainr’s new development environment — Installing GCC 4.2, Ruby 1.9.3 & gem dependencies on Mac OS X Lion

  We’re almost done with Domainr’s infrastructural overhaul: we’re moving from Python & Django on App Engine to Ruby 1.9.3 and Rails 3.1 — we’ll discuss the reasons for this in a later post.

  We ran into a few development environment hiccups while working on the port, so Cameron made this gist to automate setting up our general dependencies. The last mile just connects our Ruby application server to Nginx’s reverse proxy. Here are some highlights:

  • Use the --with-gcc=clang flag in order to install Ruby 1.9.3 via RVM on Mac OS X Lion.
  • You may need gcc-4.2 (not to be confused with XCode 4.2) for database drivers or gems that don’t build properly under clang/llvm, so he’s included a homebrew formula to download, compile and install it.

  Here’s the gist:

• 2011-11-16

  Looking for a GoDaddy alternative?

  If so, definitely give Kevin Cheng’s thorough post about his quest a read. Domainr supports most of the registrars he investigated, but let us know if there are any you’d like us to add.

• 2011-11-08

  .tv = Serious Revenue for Tuvalu

  The Guardian:

  “Tuvalu’s GDP is so tiny — about US$37 million — that a line item on the budget measures sales of national stamps and coins to collectors… Royalties from the sale of the domain name, which by last year was used by about 110,000 Web sites, could reap Tuvalu US$40 million in a decade. Such funds largely paid for the 2002 tar-sealing and lighting of the roads on Funafuti.”

  Via 101domain

• 2011-10-23

  Decommissioning Domainr’s RSS Feeds

  We will be decommissioning Domainr’s RSS feeds on Monday, November 14th, 2011 — email us at ping+rss@domai.nr if you need them for some reason.

• 2010-11-06

  ‘Round the Tubes

  Domainr has gotten some nice write-ups around the web recently—here are a few that we’ve noticed and appreciate!

  • Geno Prussakov’s case study on Domainr’s utility for finding available short domains, as well as its affiliate revenue model.
  • Zach Browne’s post about finding the perfect domain name.

• 2010-11-05

  Domainr API Apps

  We’re glad to see Domainr’s API getting some use — here are some example apps utilizing it:

  iOS

  • Quick Domain Check (iPad, iPhone)
  • Domainster

  Android

  • Exygy Domains

• 2010-08-24

  Domainr for iPhone

  Domainr for iPhone is now available in the App Store!

  Huge props to our good friend Sahil Desai, who built the app in his spare time because he wanted an easy way to search for domains from his iPhone. In fact, he reached out to us back in 2009 about building the app, which prompted Randy to build out Domainr’s API for this exact sort of use. Thank you, @Sahil!

  We’ve also made the app’s source available on github, in case anybody wants to hack on it. Let us know what you’re finding with it in our forum.

  

• 2010-05-08

  IDN ccTLD support

  Via @domainr: “Domainr supports all three new TLDs: http://domai.nr/about/tlds#idn”

  Props to @rr for pushing out the update!

• 2010-03-21

  Domainr for Android

  Hey Android users,

  Our compatriots at Exygy have whipped up a neat little app* that uses Domainr’s API for doing domain search. Check it out! (or use barcode scanner to snap this QR code)

  

  • the app is called, “Exygy Domains” in the Android Marketplace.

• 2010-02-09

  Short Domain Search

  Domainr’s search results now show vowel-stripped “shortened domains,” which have become quite popular recently thanks to services like Bitly and Awe.sm.

  Domainr does its best to show whether or not it’s possible to register a domain, but many NICs and Registrars have their own rules for things like minimum # of characters in a domain, etc. If you encounter an error in Domainr’s search results, please let us know in the forum and we’ll get it fixed asap.

  Enjoy!