5 ms·

Even Google forgets to renew its domains

93 points by edent 7y ago

jawns 7y ago
If you're publishing a domain name that is supposed to be an example or test domain, there are some reserved TLDs for that! And you never have to register or maintain them! https://tools.ietf.org/id/draft-ellermann-idnabis-test-tlds-00.xml#rfc.section.2 https://tools.ietf.org/id/draft-ellermann-idnabis-test-tlds-... domain.example is encouraged for documentation, but you can also use something like example.invalid. Whenever I review unit tests that have URLs in them, I insist that they use the .invalid TLD. I know that .test is encouraged, but I find that .invalid stands out more when you're browsing a test suite. The old argument against this was that the average person is really only familiar with .com, .org, and maybe .net, and they wouldn't even recognize something with a less commonly used TLD as a domain name. But with the rise in popularity of alternate TLDs, I don't think that argument is as persuasive anymore.
- donalhunt 7y ago
  domain.example doesn't actually resolve though... So if you want to demonstrate what a working domain looks like you need something else.
  - scoot 7y ago
    example.com, example.net & example.org should fit the bill in that case.
- edent 7y ago
  I think the issue is that they wanted people to check the DNS records of a real site.
  - kube-system 7y ago
    example.com resolves. example.com. 8367 IN A 93.184.216.34 https://www.iana.org/domains/reserved https://www.iana.org/domains/reserved
donalhunt 7y ago
tl;dr: google used a domain in documentation but forgot to renew it. Instead of reclaiming ownership of the domain, they updated their docs.
tekcyb-org 7y ago
I remember way back, I think 2006 or around that time, Google forgot to register Google.com and someone (I think from microsoft) had registered it, then gave it back.
- thepete2 7y ago
  Isn't there a 1 month period where you don't own the domain anymore, but no one except for you can buy it?
  - johntash 7y ago
    Yeah, the "redemption period" is what you're thinking of. As far as I know, only the person who last owned the domain can get it out of that status (usually at a premium cost). After 30 days, anyone can register it. https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/gtld-lifecycle-2012-02-25-en https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/gtld-lifecycle-2012-02... has a graphic explaining a typical domain lifecycle.
- harryh 7y ago
  This is discussed and linked to in the post.
- deleted 7y ago
  [deleted]
totaldude87 7y ago
i once noticed that Google failed to renew SSL to its AI website, and SSL expiry warning was thrown.. 1) Noticed bug.. 2) waited 4 hours, to make sure it is an issue 3) reported bug 4) the issue got fixed 5) got an update next day that it was not a issue (though i had screenshots) laughed and promised myself that i will never submit another bug to Google ;)
adrianmalacoda 7y ago
> Eventually, Google replaced most references to SpottedFig.org in their documentation. They inexplicably left this one though Small nitpick: this is spottedfig dot com, a domain which they still control.
deleted 7y ago
[deleted]
walrus01 7y ago
I wonder what would happen in terms of traffic level if microsoft ever forgot to renew contoso.com , and somebody registered it and pointed its MX at a mail server they control.

93 points by edent 7y ago

If you're publishing a domain name that is supposed to be an example or test domain, there are some reserved TLDs for that! And you never have to register or maintain them! https://tools.ietf.org/id/draft-ellermann-idnabis-test-tlds-00.xml#rfc.section.2 https://tools.ietf.org/id/draft-ellermann-idnabis-test-tlds-... domain.example is encouraged for documentation, but you can also use something like example.invalid. Whenever I review unit tests that have URLs in them, I insist that they use the .invalid TLD. I know that .test is encouraged, but I find that .invalid stands out more when you're browsing a test suite. The old argument against this was that the average person is really only familiar with .com, .org, and maybe .net, and they wouldn't even recognize something with a less commonly used TLD as a domain name. But with the rise in popularity of alternate TLDs, I don't think that argument is as persuasive anymore.

donalhunt 7y ago
domain.example doesn't actually resolve though... So if you want to demonstrate what a working domain looks like you need something else.
- scoot 7y ago
  example.com, example.net & example.org should fit the bill in that case.
edent 7y ago
I think the issue is that they wanted people to check the DNS records of a real site.
- kube-system 7y ago
  example.com resolves. example.com. 8367 IN A 93.184.216.34 https://www.iana.org/domains/reserved https://www.iana.org/domains/reserved

donalhunt 7y ago

tl;dr: google used a domain in documentation but forgot to renew it. Instead of reclaiming ownership of the domain, they updated their docs.

tekcyb-org 7y ago

I remember way back, I think 2006 or around that time, Google forgot to register Google.com and someone (I think from microsoft) had registered it, then gave it back.

thepete2 7y ago
Isn't there a 1 month period where you don't own the domain anymore, but no one except for you can buy it?
- johntash 7y ago
  Yeah, the "redemption period" is what you're thinking of. As far as I know, only the person who last owned the domain can get it out of that status (usually at a premium cost). After 30 days, anyone can register it. https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/gtld-lifecycle-2012-02-25-en https://www.icann.org/resources/pages/gtld-lifecycle-2012-02... has a graphic explaining a typical domain lifecycle.
harryh 7y ago
This is discussed and linked to in the post.
deleted 7y ago
[deleted]

totaldude87 7y ago

i once noticed that Google failed to renew SSL to its AI website, and SSL expiry warning was thrown.. 1) Noticed bug.. 2) waited 4 hours, to make sure it is an issue 3) reported bug 4) the issue got fixed 5) got an update next day that it was not a issue (though i had screenshots) laughed and promised myself that i will never submit another bug to Google ;)

adrianmalacoda 7y ago

> Eventually, Google replaced most references to SpottedFig.org in their documentation. They inexplicably left this one though Small nitpick: this is spottedfig dot com, a domain which they still control.

deleted 7y ago

[deleted]

walrus01 7y ago

I wonder what would happen in terms of traffic level if microsoft ever forgot to renew contoso.com , and somebody registered it and pointed its MX at a mail server they control.