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mbpowner

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 19, 2016
174
14
Is there any possibility of getting a free domain name for my own forum?

Please post links as recommendations!
 

IHelpId10t5

macrumors 6502
Nov 28, 2014
486
348
Most domain names cost less than $20 a year so why not buy one like the rest of the world does and have complete control of it. I've never even heard of a free domain name and if there is such a thing you should not trust it.
 
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mbpowner

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 19, 2016
174
14
Most domain names cost less than $20 a year so why not buy one like the rest of the world does and have complete control of it. I've never even heard of a free domain name and if there is such a thing you should not trust it.
If I did, I'd want to make a profit of it, lol
 

IHelpId10t5

macrumors 6502
Nov 28, 2014
486
348
You could certainly do that. That's actually the point. If you were to use a "free" domain name that your didn't own, and then built a brand for yourself and started making a profit on your blog, you would essentially be a hostage of your free domain name's actual owner. They could then yank that domain name out from under you at any time.

Do yourself a favor, buy a good domain name from a reputable registrar like Gandi.net and you will not regret it.
 

mbpowner

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 19, 2016
174
14
You could certainly do that. That's actually the point. If you were to use a "free" domain name that your didn't own, and then built a brand for yourself and started making a profit on your blog, you would essentially be a hostage of your free domain name's actual owner. They could then yank that domain name out from under you at any time.

Do yourself a favor, buy a good domain name from a reputable registrar like Gandi.net and you will not regret it.
but then you can't use seo can you?
[doublepost=1471865219][/doublepost]it would be something like """""."notmydomain".org
where notmydomain is the other domain i don't own

i want to own my own, otherwise search rankings would be crappy
 

maflynn

macrumors Haswell
May 3, 2009
73,682
43,740
domains are not free, but the cost of them is so low, that it should not be a barrier, i.e., if you cannot afford the cost of a domain name, then how will you handle the cost of a hosting company for your project?
 
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mbpowner

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 19, 2016
174
14
domains are not free, but the cost of them is so low, that it should not be a barrier, i.e., if you cannot afford the cost of a domain name, then how will you handle the cost of a hosting company for your project?
No, I can afford it, but I've decided it's not worth it. It was just a thing for fun.
 

maflynn

macrumors Haswell
May 3, 2009
73,682
43,740
No, I can afford it, but I've decided it's not worth it. It was just a thing for fun.
Agreed, I have a couple of project that don't generate revenue, but I keep the domains around because I enjoy it. It all boils down to whether its something you want to dedicate your time too.
 
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mbpowner

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 19, 2016
174
14
Agreed, I have a couple of project that don't generate revenue, but I keep the domains around because I enjoy it. It all boils down to whether its something you want to dedicate your time too.
I don't think so cuz I'll be at university.
 

IHelpId10t5

macrumors 6502
Nov 28, 2014
486
348
Don't buy a domain from any registrar for $1.99. However, nearly anyone would consider the normal prices of $10 to $30 from a respectable registrar affordable for even a college student.

Link pls: http://gandi.net
 

Efrem

macrumors regular
Jul 30, 2009
118
15
You can get a free subdomain name. For example, atspace.cc (in which I have no economic or other interest) will give you yourname.atspace.cc free if you host with them, even with their low-end free hosting plan.

As for a real domain name such as yourname.com, I agree with the previous posters: pay the ten bucks.
 

mbpowner

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 19, 2016
174
14
In fact that's free regardless

I already own freeforums but no search engine availability
 

poiihy

macrumors 68020
Aug 22, 2014
2,301
62
co.nr is a free domain service whos domain looks like co.uk but it's actually a site and your domain name is a sub-domain.
 

SeaFox

macrumors 68030
Jul 22, 2003
2,641
1,030
Somewhere Else
Summary of thread so far:

DevDream: I want a free domain name.

(Rest of Forum): Domains aren't free, just buy one, they're cheap.

DevDream: But if I had to pay for it, I'd expect to make a profit from it.

maflynn: Hobbies cost money too, ya know?

DevDream: I'm a poor college student.

(Rest of Forum): If you're that poor, you can't afford to have a website anyway.

DevDream: It's for a basic forum. Nothing too pro

Efrem: Get a subdomained forum. That's real cheap.

DevDream: I want my own domain -- nobody else's name on it. I already have free forums, but I can't use SEO.

---------------------

What happened to "this is a basic forum, nothing pro"? Why do you care so much about search engine rankings if this is not a site for a business? There is free forum software out there. There is cheap hosting out there. If you want to do this as cheap as possible YOU have to be the one to put two and two together. If you want someone to hold your hand through it all, you got to open your purse strings.

It really sounds like you're trying to find someone to host a revenue generating site for you for free. Have you ever heard the phrase "you got to spend money to make money"?
 
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mbpowner

macrumors regular
Original poster
Aug 19, 2016
174
14
Summary of thread so far:

DevDream: I want a free domain name.

(Rest of Forum): Domains aren't free, just buy one, they're cheap.

DevDream: But if I had to pay for it, I'd expect to make a profit from it.

maflynn: Hobbies cost money too, ya know?

DevDream: I'm a poor college student.

(Rest of Forum): If you're that poor, you can't afford to have a website anyway.

DevDream: It's for a basic forum. Nothing too pro

Efrem: Get a subdomained forum. That's real cheap.

DevDream: I want my own domain -- nobody else's name on it. I already have free forums, but I can't use SEO.

---------------------

What happened to "this is a basic forum, nothing pro"? Why do you care so much about search engine rankings if this is not a site for a business? There is free forum software out there. There is cheap hosting out there. If you want to do this as cheap as possible YOU have to be the one to put two and two together. If you want someone to hold your hand through it all, you got to open your purse strings.

It really sounds like you're trying to find someone to host a revenue generating site for you for free. Have you ever heard the phrase "you got to spend money to make money"?
I honestly don't care about the money, I'm interested in the community. I want it to seem professional to get an active forum. Think why would someone join a sub domained ppl would automatically naturally assume that it's poor and go to a forum that has a domain, Google is most ppl find forums and through recommendations. It's hard to get recommendations without it being through a search engine that p can find it
 

SeaFox

macrumors 68030
Jul 22, 2003
2,641
1,030
Somewhere Else
I want it to seem professional to get an active forum. Think why would someone join a sub domained ppl would automatically naturally assume that it's poor and go to a forum that has a domain.

You've already told us "this is a basic forum, nothing pro". Is it professional or not?

No, I can afford it, but I've decided it's not worth it. It was just a thing for fun.

Sounds like you're not really serious about this -- so why should you expect your target audience to?

There is a disconnect here between what you are saying this project is and what you want in it. You want the street cred of your own domain and no other branding on your forum, but you aren't willing to commit to the meager financial support that needs. There are a lot of other ways of promoting a forum (or any website for that matter) than SEO. Search Engine Optimization is a business-level feature. It exists to drive traffic to specific websites for financially competitive reasons. That's not something amateur websites use. I suspect you choose it because it's easier than work of mouth, ads, siglinks and being active on other forums.

If I may be so bold:
All you seem to want from this is "the community" and to be in an upper-level position of it. As someone who has been in online forums for 20 years, do the fandom (or whatever community this is) a favor and don't make this forum. People don't appreciate a poseur trying to "seem professional" only to become an admin-in-absentia (and if you're still in college I can see that happening real easily). Go join a preexisting forum run by someone willing to put his money where his mouth is, and maybe you can rise up the ranks the old-fashioned way.
 
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