SEO heaven May 16, 2007 11:20 PM Subscribe
Is a domain an acceptable user name? Seems like it would be a perfectly good name without the .com on the end.
I'd be ok with the .com name if the profile didn't read like an ad. At least his participation seems legit even if his profile is over the top.
posted by necessitas at 11:31 PM on May 16, 2007
posted by necessitas at 11:31 PM on May 16, 2007
Often, people who run their own business have trouble separating work from play, especially when play is so closely related to work. Seems pretty much like the case here, to me. The user profile reading like an ad might be what throws things off here - fortunately, user pages are not indexed, so there is no advantage to the user in having his company info or domain there.
Would there be a significant advantage in having the user name appear on thread pages all over the place? Would it matter if the content of the pages was related to the content on the user's site? That could be good or bad, depending on the content of the threads in question.
posted by dg at 11:41 PM on May 16, 2007
Would there be a significant advantage in having the user name appear on thread pages all over the place? Would it matter if the content of the pages was related to the content on the user's site? That could be good or bad, depending on the content of the threads in question.
posted by dg at 11:41 PM on May 16, 2007
hmm. I don't know why I never noted that on the other user names, both of which I have seen. Maybe because they never seemed commercial, and as you noted, dg, this person has a pitch on the user page. Let me be clear, I am not attributing any malice. Maybe domains don't count as "links back" in the search engines, but I was under the impression they did.
posted by madamjujujive at 11:51 PM on May 16, 2007
posted by madamjujujive at 11:51 PM on May 16, 2007
Well, the link on the thread page from the user name would go to the user page, which is not indexed, so I imagine the benefit would be negligible, but I am hardly an expert on this. I should probably just shut up until someone who is an expert wakes up.
On general principles, it would be a shame to have user names restricted, because the weird names are part of the charm here, I think. Although I remember the kerfuffle when ( . ) ( . ) joined, because people couldn't figure out how to pronounce it in their heads.
posted by dg at 12:01 AM on May 17, 2007
On general principles, it would be a shame to have user names restricted, because the weird names are part of the charm here, I think. Although I remember the kerfuffle when ( . ) ( . ) joined, because people couldn't figure out how to pronounce it in their heads.
posted by dg at 12:01 AM on May 17, 2007
"Knockers". You pronounce it "Knockers".
posted by Jimbob at 12:04 AM on May 17, 2007 [2 favorites]
posted by Jimbob at 12:04 AM on May 17, 2007 [2 favorites]
Well, I dunno, madamjujujive.
After all, your activity here seems to be little more than a thinly-veiled attempt to direct business to your rag & bone shop.
posted by UbuRoivas at 12:28 AM on May 17, 2007
After all, your activity here seems to be little more than a thinly-veiled attempt to direct business to your rag & bone shop.
posted by UbuRoivas at 12:28 AM on May 17, 2007
There have been quite a few people over the years who have done this. One of the first I noticed like 6 years ago was tpoh.org. I always thought it was a bit dodgy to use your url as your username, but oh well.
This new fellow might be all about self-promotion, but it's too early to tell. Stock up on the torches and pitchforks, just in case.
Regardless, his thread was crap. I would like to reiterate my request for a flagging reason that basically says 'OK, this is just lame'.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 12:44 AM on May 17, 2007
This new fellow might be all about self-promotion, but it's too early to tell. Stock up on the torches and pitchforks, just in case.
Regardless, his thread was crap. I would like to reiterate my request for a flagging reason that basically says 'OK, this is just lame'.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 12:44 AM on May 17, 2007
That's what I use(d), of course. Totally unsatisfying.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 1:29 AM on May 17, 2007
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 1:29 AM on May 17, 2007
I have no problem with the user name. With that, I remain sincerely yours,
i-read-a-book-about-web-promo-and-im-going-to-be-rich.com
posted by maxwelton at 1:40 AM on May 17, 2007
i-read-a-book-about-web-promo-and-im-going-to-be-rich.com
posted by maxwelton at 1:40 AM on May 17, 2007
I think it's going to have the unintended consequence of making chum out of the search results for that domain. The more he comments (especially on popular posts), the more Metafilter results will show up, eventually pushing down the actual site he has.
posted by Many bubbles at 2:21 AM on May 17, 2007
posted by Many bubbles at 2:21 AM on May 17, 2007
So will this domain get Google-credit for being mentioned on MetaFilter, even though it was linked to a different URL?
posted by hoverboards don't work on water at 2:30 AM on May 17, 2007
posted by hoverboards don't work on water at 2:30 AM on May 17, 2007
We basically talked about this before with someone whose username was some kind of product and their userpage was about the product. I was hostile to them, but the admin response was that this was fine up to and until they started self-linking or being a nuisance.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 2:31 AM on May 17, 2007
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 2:31 AM on May 17, 2007
sure it's ok--why not?
we have brandnames as usernames, real names as usernames, celeb names as usernames, ...
posted by amberglow at 3:01 AM on May 17, 2007
we have brandnames as usernames, real names as usernames, celeb names as usernames, ...
posted by amberglow at 3:01 AM on May 17, 2007
I'd be ok with the .com name if the profile didn't read like an ad. At least his participation seems legit even if his profile is over the top.
posted by necessitas at 11:31 PM on May 16 [+]
[!]
Imho, neither defending or attacking this, but throwing in my 2 rupees worth, possibly he's just taken the whole web 2.0 collaborative social networking gooey goodness literally and done what any noob in today's web world would - put his USD 5 down [approx Rupees 250.00] and linked to his work page. I'm guessing sheer ignorance of "netiquette" than any malicious intent here. Most of us post from home or during leisure, but that kind of bandwidth isn't that common in India and could just be surfing at work, trying to blog, putting toe in the water kind of thing.
I could be wrong of course, in which case you're welcome to come back and flame me ;p
posted by infini at 4:07 AM on May 17, 2007
posted by necessitas at 11:31 PM on May 16 [+]
[!]
Imho, neither defending or attacking this, but throwing in my 2 rupees worth, possibly he's just taken the whole web 2.0 collaborative social networking gooey goodness literally and done what any noob in today's web world would - put his USD 5 down [approx Rupees 250.00] and linked to his work page. I'm guessing sheer ignorance of "netiquette" than any malicious intent here. Most of us post from home or during leisure, but that kind of bandwidth isn't that common in India and could just be surfing at work, trying to blog, putting toe in the water kind of thing.
I could be wrong of course, in which case you're welcome to come back and flame me ;p
posted by infini at 4:07 AM on May 17, 2007
Most of us post from home or during leisure
BWAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
That is to say: yes, I think you're wrong on this part. Most of the userbase is in the States, and the site appears to be most active during daytime business hours here.
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 4:52 AM on May 17, 2007
BWAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
That is to say: yes, I think you're wrong on this part. Most of the userbase is in the States, and the site appears to be most active during daytime business hours here.
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 4:52 AM on May 17, 2007
we have brandnames as usernames, real names as usernames, celeb names as usernames, ...
dance crazes as usernames, ...
posted by cillit bang at 4:52 AM on May 17, 2007
dance crazes as usernames, ...
posted by cillit bang at 4:52 AM on May 17, 2007
That is to say: yes, I think you're wrong on this part. Most of the userbase is in the States, and the site appears to be most active during daytime business hours here.
posted by Lentrohamsanin 14 minutes ago
er.. I live in San Francisco
posted by infini at 5:08 AM on May 17, 2007
posted by Lentrohamsanin 14 minutes ago
er.. I live in San Francisco
posted by infini at 5:08 AM on May 17, 2007
er.. I live in San Francisco
I don't see how that changes my point.
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 5:21 AM on May 17, 2007
I don't see how that changes my point.
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 5:21 AM on May 17, 2007
maybe I'm not too good at your language yet, I don't understand the two points you make - that I might be wrong and that most users live in the US. How does this correlate to our discussion on the user with the URL based name who is based in Chennai, India, if you check his profile?
posted by infini at 5:32 AM on May 17, 2007
posted by infini at 5:32 AM on May 17, 2007
Why would Google pay special attention to a non-linked domain name?
posted by smackfu at 5:53 AM on May 17, 2007
posted by smackfu at 5:53 AM on May 17, 2007
Blazecock.com was already registered, surprisingly.
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 6:07 AM on May 17, 2007
posted by Blazecock Pileon at 6:07 AM on May 17, 2007
This user's name is the same as her website address.
And I almost made mine the same, but I decided not to use my real name for MeFi.
posted by The Deej at 6:17 AM on May 17, 2007
And I almost made mine the same, but I decided not to use my real name for MeFi.
posted by The Deej at 6:17 AM on May 17, 2007
Yeah, without corresponding bad behavior, I'm not sure what the big deal is.
posted by cortex (staff) at 6:25 AM on May 17, 2007
posted by cortex (staff) at 6:25 AM on May 17, 2007
I did the URL as username wihtout the dotcom on it and I have to say it's worked out okay for me so far. If the user turns out to be a lameo spammer, they'll wind up out of here for those reasons anyhow.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 6:29 AM on May 17, 2007
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 6:29 AM on May 17, 2007
"Regardless, his thread was crap. I would like to reiterate my request for a flagging reason that basically says 'OK, this is just lame'."
Noise, man. No signal=noise.
posted by klangklangston at 6:38 AM on May 17, 2007
Noise, man. No signal=noise.
posted by klangklangston at 6:38 AM on May 17, 2007
I did the URL as username wihtout the dotcom on it
Well the .com is indeed my point. I would guess there are a lot of users here with a user name that is the same name they use for their website, but it isn't readily apparent. We make a big deal out of no self promotion and no self linking on the blue, and this seemed to me to be a bad precedent in that direction. I'm not questioning anyone's integrity or intent here, it's just a policy question.
But I get the point, with more than 50,000 user names, if it hasn't been a problem yet, then I guess it's a non-issue.
Here's my Emily Litella voice: never mind.
posted by madamjujujive at 7:07 AM on May 17, 2007
Well the .com is indeed my point. I would guess there are a lot of users here with a user name that is the same name they use for their website, but it isn't readily apparent. We make a big deal out of no self promotion and no self linking on the blue, and this seemed to me to be a bad precedent in that direction. I'm not questioning anyone's integrity or intent here, it's just a policy question.
But I get the point, with more than 50,000 user names, if it hasn't been a problem yet, then I guess it's a non-issue.
Here's my Emily Litella voice: never mind.
posted by madamjujujive at 7:07 AM on May 17, 2007
This strikes me as a great opportunity for all us MeFites who have never done so to see if our usernames are also URLs!
I'll go:
posted by ORthey at 7:43 AM on May 17, 2007
I'll go:
posted by ORthey at 7:43 AM on May 17, 2007
It is stealth marketing regardless of whether it provides googlejuice or not. Isn't the 'no self-linking' rule meant to stop shilling, self marketing and blatant commericalisation? Well then. *prods Emily with pointy stick* "Wake up!"
[personally speaking I've just never really liked them for aesthetic reasons which would be no reason to ban them of course]
posted by peacay at 8:15 AM on May 17, 2007
[personally speaking I've just never really liked them for aesthetic reasons which would be no reason to ban them of course]
posted by peacay at 8:15 AM on May 17, 2007
Well, it's not really stealth marketing. Hell, it's hammer-over-the-head ObviousTown marketing. Makes it seem a little less insidious to me.
posted by cortex (staff) at 8:37 AM on May 17, 2007
posted by cortex (staff) at 8:37 AM on May 17, 2007
It's corny. Which is not a crime. Although (to borrow from the Mayor) when I am Stalin... Well, let's just say I hope he likes eating soup made out of mattress stuffing and losing toes to frostbite.
posted by Divine_Wino at 8:38 AM on May 17, 2007
posted by Divine_Wino at 8:38 AM on May 17, 2007
Isn't the 'no self-linking' rule
Since the username isn't actually a link to the domain, I don't think he's breaking the "no self-linking" rule. It's not a "no self-domain-naming" rule.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 8:44 AM on May 17, 2007
Since the username isn't actually a link to the domain, I don't think he's breaking the "no self-linking" rule. It's not a "no self-domain-naming" rule.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 8:44 AM on May 17, 2007
It may not be clickable but it is in fact a link. A written link. Or is the hairsplitting argument supposed to be that a URL is only a link when it is framed by the correct markup?
This is the equivalent of product placement in movies. It's getting eyeballs onto the site name to gain familiarity and recognition. I bet some people look these sites up just because they are in their field of vision. So yeah, cortex, you're probably right to say that it's overt and not stealth.
posted by peacay at 8:59 AM on May 17, 2007
This is the equivalent of product placement in movies. It's getting eyeballs onto the site name to gain familiarity and recognition. I bet some people look these sites up just because they are in their field of vision. So yeah, cortex, you're probably right to say that it's overt and not stealth.
posted by peacay at 8:59 AM on May 17, 2007
This was sort of an awesome way to find out that "skot.com" is owned by Bangbros.
posted by Skot at 8:59 AM on May 17, 2007
posted by Skot at 8:59 AM on May 17, 2007
I need to register a better domain to cash in on all this glorious self-linkage.
posted by IronLizard at 9:45 AM on May 17, 2007
posted by IronLizard at 9:45 AM on May 17, 2007
Wendell.com redirects to WendellAugust.com, makers of "unique American-made giftware", which is probably the only reason they outrank me on Google in searches for "wendell". I try to be Wendell wherever on the web I go, but if I don't sign up very early, I don't get it; so, I use WendellWit, which is my .com, but without the ".com".
IMO, adding the ".com" to your MeFi username is just tacky, and if tacky was not allowed here, the moderators would not be able to keep up.
sock-puppert.net is available. Just sayin'.
posted by wendell at 9:51 AM on May 17, 2007
IMO, adding the ".com" to your MeFi username is just tacky, and if tacky was not allowed here, the moderators would not be able to keep up.
sock-puppert.net is available. Just sayin'.
posted by wendell at 9:51 AM on May 17, 2007
WTF is a sock puppert?
posted by mr_crash_davis at 10:03 AM on May 17, 2007
posted by mr_crash_davis at 10:03 AM on May 17, 2007
wendell, you've got to buy that company and take over this town and then you will own the Google returns. Look at nola - he owns a city! Get on it.
posted by madamjujujive at 10:04 AM on May 17, 2007
posted by madamjujujive at 10:04 AM on May 17, 2007
jacquilynne.com is a domain. It's my domain, mind you, so that came as no real surprise to me.
posted by jacquilynne at 10:23 AM on May 17, 2007
posted by jacquilynne at 10:23 AM on May 17, 2007
It may not be clickable but it is in fact a link. A written link.
"Email is in fact postal mail. Written on a computer instead of on paper, and without postage."
"Light is in fact sound. With electromagnetic waves instead of pressure waves."
"The Empire State Building is in fact a tomato. A tomato without skin and flesh and juice and seeds, and with lots of limestone and steel and glass."
Or is the hairsplitting argument supposed to be that a URL is only a link when it is framed by the correct markup?
That is precisely the argument, and deriding it as "hairsplitting" does not make it any less correct.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 10:36 AM on May 17, 2007
"Email is in fact postal mail. Written on a computer instead of on paper, and without postage."
"Light is in fact sound. With electromagnetic waves instead of pressure waves."
"The Empire State Building is in fact a tomato. A tomato without skin and flesh and juice and seeds, and with lots of limestone and steel and glass."
Or is the hairsplitting argument supposed to be that a URL is only a link when it is framed by the correct markup?
That is precisely the argument, and deriding it as "hairsplitting" does not make it any less correct.
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 10:36 AM on May 17, 2007
Man, cortex.com is lame. Here's a flickr screencap—the page itself doesn't have anything further to offer but popups.
posted by cortex (staff) at 11:19 AM on May 17, 2007
posted by cortex (staff) at 11:19 AM on May 17, 2007
Wow. grapefruitmoon dot com is the Ultimate Guide to What's On in Coventry and Warwickshire.
My mind, it is blown.
I was expecting a Tom Waits fanclub. Or porn. Or *shudder* both.
posted by grapefruitmoon at 12:35 PM on May 17, 2007
My mind, it is blown.
I was expecting a Tom Waits fanclub. Or porn. Or *shudder* both.
posted by grapefruitmoon at 12:35 PM on May 17, 2007
One one hand its sort of a skeevy vibe, but on the other it's probably a good early warning sign to be vigilant for some more nefarious purpose. I bought up all my .*s a while ago, it's nice having a unique name.
posted by Skorgu at 12:36 PM on May 17, 2007
posted by Skorgu at 12:36 PM on May 17, 2007
I've been keeping it pretty quiet but HEY, Bubbletext! Good for the Web & Mobile! Open to the World! (really just try it today...) check out this awesome Text Messaging Provider- #1 TEXT SERVICE in customer satisfaction!
posted by bobobox at 12:52 PM on May 17, 2007
posted by bobobox at 12:52 PM on May 17, 2007
Greg Nog writes "And it seems to have stories about my life on it! This is kind of freaky."
OMG Stalker!
posted by Mitheral at 2:20 PM on May 17, 2007
OMG Stalker!
posted by Mitheral at 2:20 PM on May 17, 2007
I am forever saddened that nerdcore.com is just parked.
posted by nerdcore at 2:40 PM on May 17, 2007
posted by nerdcore at 2:40 PM on May 17, 2007
2 posts, 2 deletes. chrisranjana can't seem to take a trick. Maybe he's playing misere.
I'm a hoster and a human services provider.
posted by tellurian at 5:09 PM on May 17, 2007
I'm a hoster and a human services provider.
posted by tellurian at 5:09 PM on May 17, 2007
wonderchicken.com is indeed mine. I figured there weren't that many wonderchickens around, so I could lose the stavrosthe part.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 5:33 PM on May 17, 2007
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 5:33 PM on May 17, 2007
stavrosthe. would make a lovely subdomain, though.
posted by cortex (staff) at 5:42 PM on May 17, 2007
posted by cortex (staff) at 5:42 PM on May 17, 2007
I should change my user name to one of my many domains, I guess.
(I didn't use my professional name because, as cabinet member, former runway model, central African dictator, vice-president of a major software company, county sheriff and best-selling author I cannot risk having my real identity revealed.)
posted by maxwelton at 6:28 PM on May 17, 2007
(I didn't use my professional name because, as cabinet member, former runway model, central African dictator, vice-president of a major software company, county sheriff and best-selling author I cannot risk having my real identity revealed.)
posted by maxwelton at 6:28 PM on May 17, 2007
Nice monopoly you have there, quonsar.
posted by IronLizard at 6:53 PM on May 17, 2007
posted by IronLizard at 6:53 PM on May 17, 2007
quonsar.com
quonsar.net
quonsar.org
quonsar.info
posted by quonsar
webwhore
posted by The Deej at 6:56 PM on May 17, 2007
quonsar.net
quonsar.org
quonsar.info
posted by quonsar
webwhore
posted by The Deej at 6:56 PM on May 17, 2007
When I find time and money and sobriety, I'm gonna register quonsar.biz and .tv and that'll show you!
posted by klangklangston at 7:00 PM on May 17, 2007
posted by klangklangston at 7:00 PM on May 17, 2007
Apropos of nothing, but I figured this thread was as good as any: today when I was driving to work, I saw a car with the vanity plate "SMOCK" and laughed so hard I nearly hurt myself.
I was imaging the car as belonging to quonsar, who I imagine as being purple.
posted by grapefruitmoon at 7:17 PM on May 17, 2007 [1 favorite]
I was imaging the car as belonging to quonsar, who I imagine as being purple.
posted by grapefruitmoon at 7:17 PM on May 17, 2007 [1 favorite]
stavrosthe. would make a lovely subdomain, though.
Why the heck didn't I think of that? Dreamhost allows me unlimited subdomains, and I was thinking of playing around with building a personal aggregator thingy just to learn how, and wasn't sure where to put it.
Thank you, sir.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 7:20 PM on May 17, 2007
Why the heck didn't I think of that? Dreamhost allows me unlimited subdomains, and I was thinking of playing around with building a personal aggregator thingy just to learn how, and wasn't sure where to put it.
Thank you, sir.
posted by stavrosthewonderchicken at 7:20 PM on May 17, 2007
You got problems with static electricity control (and who doesn't)? meech.com has the answer.
posted by meech at 8:47 PM on May 17, 2007
posted by meech at 8:47 PM on May 17, 2007
That was pretty neat IronLizard. So is his birdythingy.
posted by tellurian at 8:56 PM on May 17, 2007
posted by tellurian at 8:56 PM on May 17, 2007
I think the birdthingy was much cooler than the iron_lizard comic, but I may be biased.
posted by IronLizard at 12:03 AM on May 18, 2007
posted by IronLizard at 12:03 AM on May 18, 2007
Apparently I'm a restaurant. In London.
And I thought I was unique.
posted by Penks at 9:19 AM on May 18, 2007
And I thought I was unique.
posted by Penks at 9:19 AM on May 18, 2007
*sigh* I used to own my username dot com. It got lost during the chaos that was my unexpected ejection from the IT industry (I hear I wasn't the only one).
posted by dhartung at 5:18 PM on May 18, 2007
posted by dhartung at 5:18 PM on May 18, 2007
faster.com -- something about cars
than.com -- linkfarm
a.com -- reserved name
speeding.com -- linkfarm
bulette.com -- parked at Godaddy
Well, at least I'm still porn-free.
posted by faster than a speeding bulette at 8:01 PM on May 18, 2007
than.com -- linkfarm
a.com -- reserved name
speeding.com -- linkfarm
bulette.com -- parked at Godaddy
Well, at least I'm still porn-free.
posted by faster than a speeding bulette at 8:01 PM on May 18, 2007
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posted by Jimbob at 11:26 PM on May 16, 2007