Domain Name Graveyard – 25 years of the Internet
To mark 25 years of t’Internet the TLP team have had a look back at all the domain names we’ve ever registered, but never quite got around to using properly. These relics stand as a reminder of all those great* ideas we had for websites that somehow never quite got off the ground… You know the ones!
Last night in a roundtable discussion at the Discover Children’s Story Centre as part of The Big Write, we reminded ourselves that it’s not so much the idea that counts – it’s all in the execution. Our list of domain names – most never used – reminds us of this important point.
We’re sure that most of our readers will have their own graveyard domain names so if you want to add your own here then either email us at editor@theliteraryplatform or tweet it with the #domaingraveyard hashtag and we’ll list it below with your name. Book-related is of particular interest but we’re happy to hear about all those other fatal pub ideas too.
* well we thought they were good at the time!
Here are just a few of ones we’ve registered ourselves:
www.pickupapenguin.co.uk
A website exclusively for second hand penguin books. The big idea was to create a dedicated site for collectors but also to reach a wider audience – design community, etc. with interviews with jacket designers over the 70 years. Always a bit worried we’d be sued by the chocolate bar manufacturers for using their 80s campaign slogan. Registered 2006 – domain name expired in 2008. R.I.P
www.bindr.co.uk
An online dating website exclusively for book lovers! Discuss your favourite books online and set up dates based on literary preferences. Registered 2011 – still not used. NB. we suspect that opposites attract! But we still own this one – might do something with this One Day.
www.bookappclub.com
This was the domain name we registered for what is now The Literary Platform. Originally the idea was to create a community that mirrored a book club online where readers discussed digital book products. Instead it evolved into a more industry focused project showcase / comment led website under The Literary platform. Registered 2009 – Expired 2011 R.I.P
www.uncovertheplot.com
A website for obsessive box set fans! Interviews with story consultants, scriptwriters and more! Got some way with this one but in the end felt discussion was all happening on Facebook. But we still own domain name. Anyone want to build it? Anyone? Bueller??
www.monsignorquixote.co.uk
First bookish site that I set up during a maternity leave in 2006. Created as a way to get book news more quickly to scriptwriters and film industry. Owen Sheers claims one of his books was made into a film as result of this site – but it died a death when I had to go back to work. Terribly title for SEO! Expired 2008. R.I.P
Want to add your own here? Either email us at editor@theliteraryplatform or tweet it with #domaingraveyard hashtag!
Happy Birthday the World Wide Web!
Selected contributions from the hashtag #domaingraveyard (some good ones in here!)
@cmccrudden I’m still being billed for http://prbitches.co.uk which a predecessor of mine registered…
@tamarmillen Oh http://storyshack.co.uk
@AboutThisLater I think my brother still has http://youpaywepray.com, his idea for a pray-on-demand devotional service
@JoannaEllis Whatarethesegods – a list of odd and inappropriate crushes
@KatyBeale hiddenhackney hackneyantics thingspeoplesayondatingsites.com
@dhousley I never even had an idea about what to do with magicalunderpants dot com but renew it every year
@MToseland was going to reg displacementactivities.com before I realized registering domains was (yet another) one