[registrars] Network Solutions is Front Running!!!

[Eric Brunner-Williams]

Jay Westerdal wrote:
> Jon,
> What the hell are you guys doing over there?
>
> http://blog.domaintools.com/2008/01/network-solutions-steals-domain-ideas-confirmed/
>
> I think this gives the entire industry a bad name! Personally I think it is
> unethical and hope that you go fire the person that thought this was a good
> idea. Network Solutions just gave themselves a huge black eye on this one. I
> am not sure how much damage control you can do on something like this.
>
> Jay
>
>   
I check the following 
1415926535897932384626433832795028841971693993751058209749445.com via 
whois. Available.
I then went to the NS retail site and checked if the domain was 
available. It was. I was surprised to see the marketing of 
"misspellings", but that not front-running, exactly.
I then check 
1415926535897932384626433832795028841971693993751058209749445.com via 
whois, only a few minutes had elapsed from the prior check.

Registrant:
This Domain is available at NetworkSolutions.com
   13681 Sunrise Valley Drive, Suite 300
   HERNDON, VA 20171
   US

   Domain Name: 
1415926535897932384626433832795028841971693993751058209749445.CO
M

   ------------------------------------------------------------------------
   This Domain is Available - Register it Now!
   600,000 domain names are registered daily! Don't delay; there's no 
guarantee
   that a domain name you see today will still be here tomorrow!
   Register it Now at www.NetworkSolutions.com.
   ------------------------------------------------------------------------

   Administrative Contact, Technical Contact:
      Network Solutions, LLC            domainsupport at networksolutions.com
      13681 Sunrise Valley Drive, Suite 300
      HERNDON, VA 20171
      US
      1-888-642-9675 fax: 571-434-4620


   Record expires on 09-Jan-2009.
   Record created on 09-Jan-2008.
   Database last updated on 9-Jan-2008 00:09:30 EST.

   Domain servers in listed order:

   ns1.reserveddomainname.com   205.178.190.55
   ns2.reserveddomainname.com   205.178.189.55

This is surprising. At least, I'm surprised.
Eric