Thescienceforum.com up for grabs

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the auction of the domain name thescienceforum.com and the implications of potentially acquiring it. Participants explore the feasibility of running a new science forum, the value of the domain, and the existing competition with established sites like Physics Forums (PF).

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants express intrigue about the auction of thescienceforum.com, questioning whether it is a turnkey operation or just the domain name.
  • Others argue that creating another science site may not be necessary given the existence of PF, which they consider to be the best science forum available.
  • There are claims that the current bid for the domain may not reflect its true value, with some suggesting it could be a marketing tactic by GoDaddy.
  • Participants discuss the potential of redirecting the domain to PF instead of creating a new site.
  • Some express skepticism about the viability of the domain, questioning its past existence and current value.
  • There are differing views on whether the existence of more science forums would benefit or harm PF.
  • Concerns are raised about the costs associated with acquiring and maintaining the domain, including renewal fees.
  • Some participants suggest researching the history of the domain to understand its current status and value.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally disagree on the necessity and feasibility of acquiring thescienceforum.com, with some advocating for the idea while others question its value and practicality. The discussion remains unresolved regarding the potential for a new science forum versus the existing competition.

Contextual Notes

There are uncertainties regarding the actual status of thescienceforum.com, with some participants suggesting it may never have existed as an active site. The discussion also reflects varying opinions on the implications of creating another science forum in relation to PF.

DaveC426913
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TL;DR
Anyone interested in running their own science site?
Computer science news on Phys.org
DaveC426913 said:
TL;DR Summary: Anyone interested in running their own science site?
I'm kinda intrigued but don't think I could make the admin commitment alone.
Dave, why would you want to do yet another science site when PF is already the best there is?
 
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That is only the domain name.

Funny, clicking on the link in the OP, I get a C$154.62 value as the current bid and an estimated value of C$2,913. Do prices vary based on the user?

By the way, thescienceforums.com is available for free.

phinds said:
Dave, why would you want to do yet another science site when PF is already the best there is?
You could buy the domain name and redirect it to PF.
 
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phinds said:
Dave, why would you want to do yet another science site when PF is already the best there is?
You did see this right?
1700083660119.png


Small fish big pond vs. Big fish Small pond
 
jack action said:
You could buy the domain name and redirect it to PF.
That's precisely what came to my mind when I read the OP. I second this. It's useless to create another PF when one is already there, with such a great moderation team, coupled with all the advisors.
 
jack action said:
You could buy the domain name and redirect it to PF.
Yeah, but you'd have to not only lay out for the name, you'd have to pay renewal every year.
 
Wrichik Basu said:
That's precisely what came to my mind when I read the OP. I second this. It's useless to create another PF when one is already there, with such a great moderation team, coupled with all the of us advisors.
Fixed that for you. :wink:
 
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DaveC426913 said:
Anyone interested in running their own science site?
Anyone interested in licking a flagpole in the dead of winter?
 
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DaveC426913 said:
I don't know if it's a turnkey operation or if it's just the domain name itself, but thescienceforum.com is up for auction. Current bid $493.
It's not really "up for auction": registrars like GoDaddy have millions of domain names registered which they would be delighted to sell, and (as you can see from the subsequent posts) no-one has actually bid CAD 493 for it - this is just a number made up by GoDaddy's sales algorithm that it thought you might be willing to pay. It offered it to me for GBP 89 just now (but it is going to be going up with all the clicks from users here!)

Is there any reason why you have linked the Israeli version of the site: this makes future requests to GoDaddy go to this version? All you need for the link is https://www.godaddy.com/domainsearch/find?domainToCheck=thescienceforum.com and it will use an appropriate site for each vistor (located by their IP address or identified by cookie).

Perhaps the moral of this story is stay clear of GoDaddy and use a domain registrar with (slightly) less agressive sales tactics: I use Namecheap.
 
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  • #10
phinds said:
Yeah, but you'd have to not only lay out for the name, you'd have to pay renewal every year.
Once you own a domain name you can transfer it to whatever registrar you want for free: renewal should cost USD 10 - 15.

Note that this applies to domains registered in mainstream top level and country level domains like .com, .net, .org, .co.uk etc: the new TLDs like .science and .compare have different rules.
 
  • #11
pbuk said:
Once you own a domain name you can transfer it to whatever registrar you want for free: renewal should cost USD 10 - 15.
Right. That's my point. More expenditure (admittedly modest) ever year.
 
  • #12
pbuk said:
It's not really "up for auction": registrars like GoDaddy have millions of domain names registered which they would be delighted to sell,
A red herring (i.e. true but irrelevant here).

There is an existing and populated science forum site there.

(What I'm curious about is whether the forum software and memberships will be able to be kept if the change over happens.)

pbuk said:
Is there any reason why you have linked the Israeli version of the site: this makes future requests to GoDaddy go to this version?
I just copied the link; I didn't stop to optimize it. It didn't even occur to me there was anything wrong with it.

pbuk said:
Perhaps the moral of this story is stay clear of GoDaddy and use a domain registrar with (slightly) less agressive sales tactics: I use Namecheap.
I'm less interested in the nuts and bolts of the changeover at this point than in gauging the interest and feasibility of taking it over - however it may ultimately come about.
 
  • #13
Wrichik Basu said:
It's useless to create another PF when one is already there, with such a great moderation team, coupled with all the advisors.
Well, you wouldn't create another PF.
You'd create something different. The world is big enough for more than one science forum, even if the rest are but a mere shadow of this fine site.
 
  • #14
DaveC426913 said:
TL;DR Summary: Anyone interested in running their own science site?

I don't know if it's a turnkey operation or if it's just the domain name itself, but thescienceforum.com is up for auction. Current bid $493.

DaveC426913 said:
There is an existing and populated science forum site there.

(What I'm curious about is whether the forum software and memberships will be able to be kept if the change over happens.)

This is getting pretty weird, Dave. Do you think that an existing website would be up for sale for $500? Have you done any research/searching for why this domain name is up for sale? What is the latest activity at this "discussion forum"?

(starting the Jaws theme music...)
 
  • #15
berkeman said:
This is getting pretty weird, Dave.
Why? What's the downside in me entertaining the idea, even seeing if anyone else wants to entertain the idea?

If the concern is about competition, by flogging it here, that's different. Although it couldn't ever hurt PF in any but the wildest scenarios. (In fact, more science sites would arguably help PF.)

berkeman said:
Do you think that an existing website would be up for sale for $500?
I do not know. For all I know, they just got bored and readership tanked. It would still be valuable even if it were some work to raise it from the ashes. Easier than starting new.

berkeman said:
Have you done any research/searching for why this domain name is up for sale? What is the latest activity at this "discussion forum"?
I acknowledge that readership may have tanked. Doesn't mean it couldn't be raised from the ashes.

I'm having trouble imagining scenarios where it would be a mistake that couldn't be corrected by 1] throwing in the towel and 2] writing off the cash outlay and effort as an acceptable loss.

I thought I'd gauge interest here, since I don't think I've got the cycles to do it alone, but who knows - maybe someone here is just itching to start up a site with some help.

Anyway, so far, no one's intrigued. If it's weird, feel free to lock it up. If anyone is really interested they can always follow up indpenedent of this thread.
 
  • #16
thescienceforum.com does not seem to exist (yet), even though Google shows a link to it, that link directs to GODADDY trying to sell it. (does that mean it used to exist and died, or maybe just a GODADDY marketing ploy?)

There is thescienceforum and scienceforums.
Also variations with .COM, .NET, .ORG

Anyone want to search "The Wayback Machine" to find out?
 
  • #17
Tom.G said:
thescienceforum.com does not seem to exist (yet), even though Google shows a link to it, that link directs to GODADDY trying to sell it. (does that mean it used to exist and died, or maybe just a GODADDY marketing ploy?)
This is key, the site never existed, just the domain. The community that does exist is the .org
 
  • #18
Greg Bernhardt said:
This is key, the site never existed, just the domain. The community that does exist is the .org
The .com community existed once upon a time. The last snapshot from Wayback Machine is from 30 Aug. 2023, the first being 2004.

https://web.archive.org/web/20230830054633/http://www.thescienceforum.com/

The weird part is that they separated out their Physics section into a separate website (which returns a server error at the moment), but that website is so similar to ours: thephysicsforum.com. Seems that they purposely bought that domain to mimic us!

1700247498678.png


thescienceforum.org is a different website.
 
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  • #20
Greg Bernhardt said:
Just noticed it sold for over $2k!
I'm sure that's peanuts compared to what you could get for PF, but PLEASE do not ever sell PF.

Years ago, there was what at that time was the best woodworking forum in the English language and it was sold to some seriously greedy folks who SWAMPED it with ads. Most of the better posters on the forum moved over to a new forum started by one of the moderators of the old forum. I haven't checked in years, but I doubt the old forum is doing very well.
 
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  • #21
thescienceforum.com domain name expired on 2023-10-18 according to a whois lookup.
It also says no website. So it is just being held back just now, as happens with most domain names that expire, in case the previous owner forgot to renew but still wants it. Then if the previous owner doesn't reply in time, it can be bought again by them at an higher price. If not, it goes in to hibernation and a year later gets released and all the sniper tools try to buy it first at the standard price and then they sell it on.

I'd assume that someone the size of godaddy can buy it the instant it becomes available, and if you make a winning bid just now, they take your money now and give you the domain name before the snipers can get at it. Or if it is still in the reserved time slot to buy with an extra fee, usually one month long, godaddy will get it and sell it to the highest bidder before it gets hibernated.

A client was offered a domain name that one of his suppliers had bought but never used ( very strongly related to the client's own domain name, being the .com version of client's .co.uk domain). Instead of transferring it before it expired, the original buyer let it lapse, and I had to wait a year to get it for my client!
 
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  • #22
DrJohn said:
thescienceforum.com domain name expired on 2023-10-18 according to a whois lookup.
It also says no website. So it is just being held back just now, as happens with most domain names that expire, in case the previous owner forgot to renew but still wants it. Then if the previous owner doesn't reply in time, it can be bought again by them at an higher price. If not, it goes in to hibernation and a year later gets released and all the sniper tools try to buy it first at the standard price and then they sell it on.

I'd assume that someone the size of godaddy can buy it the instant it becomes available, and if you make a winning bid just now, they take your money now and give you the domain name before the snipers can get at it. Or if it is still in the reserved time slot to buy with an extra fee, usually one month long, godaddy will get it and sell it to the highest bidder before it gets hibernated.

A client was offered a domain name that one of his suppliers had bought but never used ( very strongly related to the client's own domain name, being the .com version of client's .co.uk domain). Instead of transferring it before it expired, the original buyer let it lapse, and I had to wait a year to get it for my client!
I think I saw the expiry date had been updated to 2024.

I assume there is a new owner and hope that whoever it is will restart the site.

The old owner never answered the phone and let the membership dwindle (unless that was going to happen anyway)

It has been a couple of weeks since the sale and perhaps someone is going to turn the lights on in a short while.

Edit.Another quick look at whois dot com shows the "domain status" as "registered but no website"

I wonder what that indicates?

Someone spent 2000 dollars just to park it or could they be working on the new site and are getting ready to upload it when ready?
 
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