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http://minecraftforum.net http://minecraftforum.net http://minecraftwiki.net http://minecraftwiki.net both set up for $10 (each) at a point where I was unemplo

http://minecraftforum.net http://minecraftforum.net http://minecraftwiki.net http://minecraftwiki.net both set up for $10 (each) at a point where I was unemployed, had nothing beyond the few $ I made freelancing, both now doing over 1,000,000,000 page views a year (with adverts). Wouldn't have existed if domains were priced at $20 or more each (I had $40 to my name at the time, if I remember correctly).

lubos 15y ago
you must be the guy who did AMA on Reddit a few weeks ago. http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/q6xkg http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/q6xkg
dennisgorelik 15y ago
It took you less than 3 years bootstrapping? (minecraftforum.net is registered June 2009). Congratulations!
- citricsquid 15y ago
  We were profitable the day we decided to take revenue (2010), but we're not really a good example of bootstrapping or startups doing well or anything like that because we were supported by the success of Minecraft, we succeeded because Minecraft succeeded, not because we did anything.
  - dennisgorelik 15y ago
    What did you live on prior to taking revenue (in 2010)?
    - citricsquid 15y ago
      I started the websites when I was 17 (I'm 20 now) just out of high school and living with my parents, so I lived off of them (and paid rent with freelancing money and at one point I was on unemployment benefits).
staunch 15y ago
Those are actually a special case. You're trading on someone else's trademark, that's what made those domains work. Usually domains like this are shutdown with an UDRP. If I could register domains like AmazonDeals.com I could make a killing too, but they would get shutdown instantly.
- citricsquid 15y ago
  Well of course there are intricacies associated with my example, but the general point is what matters: Websites that do exist that are making a lot of revenue and employing a lot of people would not exist if domain prices were changed to be only affordable by those with substantial income. I've seen other HNers talk about this before, I'm sure if you don't like my example I can find other examples that don't have anything to do with trademarks. > You're trading on someone else's trademark, that's what made those domains work. It's likely both could be shutdown with a UDRP. Also specific to this point, no, we have been permitted to use the Minecraft trademark since day 1. We can't be shut down (not that they would ever want to).
  - staunch 15y ago
    I don't think there really are that many examples where $10 domains (registered in the last couple years) were a key to success. I'd be sincerely interested to hear examples where that was the case. Most people who are genuinely prepared to put effort into building a business would be willing and able to spend a bit of money. Maybe $500/yr is too high (I think so) but I seriously doubt $100/year would stop anyone who was at all serious.
    - citricsquid 15y ago
      What do you define as success? For me success is once something becomes self-sustaining (paying the employees wages etc.) and I can name quite a lot of people I work with today that would not be in the position they are now (living off their websites) if domains were $500. Maybe my world view is skewed because I spend a lot of my time around people that build sites as hobbies that turn into businesses and not true startups like Instagram or Twitter. I forget the persons name, but just last week a hackernews user posted about their top 400 (I think it was 400?) US website that they started in high school as a hobby, I doubt they would have started that if domains were priced at $500.

lubos 15y ago

you must be the guy who did AMA on Reddit a few weeks ago. http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/q6xkg http://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/q6xkg

dennisgorelik 15y ago

It took you less than 3 years bootstrapping? (minecraftforum.net is registered June 2009). Congratulations!

citricsquid 15y ago
We were profitable the day we decided to take revenue (2010), but we're not really a good example of bootstrapping or startups doing well or anything like that because we were supported by the success of Minecraft, we succeeded because Minecraft succeeded, not because we did anything.
- dennisgorelik 15y ago
  What did you live on prior to taking revenue (in 2010)?
  - citricsquid 15y ago
    I started the websites when I was 17 (I'm 20 now) just out of high school and living with my parents, so I lived off of them (and paid rent with freelancing money and at one point I was on unemployment benefits).

staunch 15y ago

Those are actually a special case. You're trading on someone else's trademark, that's what made those domains work. Usually domains like this are shutdown with an UDRP. If I could register domains like AmazonDeals.com I could make a killing too, but they would get shutdown instantly.

citricsquid 15y ago
Well of course there are intricacies associated with my example, but the general point is what matters: Websites that do exist that are making a lot of revenue and employing a lot of people would not exist if domain prices were changed to be only affordable by those with substantial income. I've seen other HNers talk about this before, I'm sure if you don't like my example I can find other examples that don't have anything to do with trademarks. > You're trading on someone else's trademark, that's what made those domains work. It's likely both could be shutdown with a UDRP. Also specific to this point, no, we have been permitted to use the Minecraft trademark since day 1. We can't be shut down (not that they would ever want to).
- staunch 15y ago
  I don't think there really are that many examples where $10 domains (registered in the last couple years) were a key to success. I'd be sincerely interested to hear examples where that was the case. Most people who are genuinely prepared to put effort into building a business would be willing and able to spend a bit of money. Maybe $500/yr is too high (I think so) but I seriously doubt $100/year would stop anyone who was at all serious.
  - citricsquid 15y ago
    What do you define as success? For me success is once something becomes self-sustaining (paying the employees wages etc.) and I can name quite a lot of people I work with today that would not be in the position they are now (living off their websites) if domains were $500. Maybe my world view is skewed because I spend a lot of my time around people that build sites as hobbies that turn into businesses and not true startups like Instagram or Twitter. I forget the persons name, but just last week a hackernews user posted about their top 400 (I think it was 400?) US website that they started in high school as a hobby, I doubt they would have started that if domains were priced at $500.