Searching for the best Domain Registrar
reviewing Domains to be Seen
by Rick Smith (August 2, 2004)
Registrar Name: R. Lee Chambers Company LLC
Whois Server: whois.domainstobeseen.com
Language: English
Location: Chattanooga, Tennessee United States
Domains to be Seen provides the typical username and password login, but I couldn't find any way to logout.
They provide masked or redirected URL forwarding capability along with limited DNS capability (MX, A and CNAME records).
Default account information can be stored to save time
They include a way to a email list of your domains, but unfortunately this list only includes the domain names and their expiration dates and NOT the full contact/nameserver information.
A toll-free phone number is listed, along with an email address and fax number. Their email response was quite good, but I have not called or faxed them.
Registrant name is NOT fixed and can be easily changed.
Organization name is NOT required.
Unfortunately, you must attempt to CHANGE your contact information to view your contact information. While this is barely acceptable for contact fields, the name server fields are displayed as blank when a change is attempted. This requires you to save or print a Whois so you can retype the existing information.
Like many registrars, they enforce "new rules" when you attempt to make changes. Recall that my goal was to change the email address and remove the organization name. When I made these changes, I found that they now required the zip-code that was NOT required before. I also noticed that the zip code field was too small to view the entire 9 digit zip code at one time. There was also not enough room in the state field for states with names longer than Idaho, but if I attempted any changes to the state, only a 2 character abbreviation was allowed.
When I attempted to save my changes, I found out why 9 digit zip-codes wasn't completely visible -- they don't allow them! Only 5 digit zip codes allowed at Domains to be seen. Nine digit zip codes have existed for over TWENTY years in the US, so why not allow (but not require) them?
I also don't understand why some of these rules aren't performed locally (using Javascript) instead of via CGI, which requires an additional screen update.
It spears that Domains to be Seen intended to provide the ability to make the administrative, technical and billing contacts become identical to the registrant name. Unfortunately, this feature didn't function properly on two separate occasions. No registration information is "passed down", so you are required to perform a manual fix for each contact.
Only space for TWO nameservers are provided. Since 13 are allowed, you may have a problem, unless you are using only the absolute minimum.
When I tried to look at the nameserver information, I also noticed that my nameservers had changed to default values so I had to manually type them in again. Therefore, be sure to select your domain BEFORE making any changes, even if there is only one domain in your account.
You can't view the name servers in the Whois information from Domains to be Seen-- you must perform an external Whois to view your own domain account information.
When I tried to replicate the email address from the registrant to the administrative, billing and technical contact, I was returned back to the main menu. After having to make the 3 changes manually, I submitted the form. Unfortunately, I forgot to enter the newly required zip code and after 3 more changes, I finally was able to save the updated information.
I found no pricing link on their site, but $12.99 per year was displayed on the home page. Ten years are priced at for $99.00.
I have not received any domain renewal emails less than 90 days out.
I have not attempted to transfer a domain OUT from this registrar.
I did try to transfer a domain between accounts and was greeted with an "Application Error" page, with a contact customer support number of 888-888-8888. When I checked, the domain did not exist at the first account, so I tried the second and there it was!!
The error message was NOT a confidence builder, but the transfer did function and required NO legal contracts or other time wasting procedures like some registrars. You simply needed the target username, target account's email address and domain name to transfer from your account.
Domain forwarding includedEasy domain transfer between accounts
System failures during transfersReplication doesn't function properly
It appears that some changes were made to this site during the creation of this article. A final retest of features occurred late on 16 August 2004.
Copyright
© 2004 Rick Smith All rights reserved.
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