Warning: Long rant about how the dns biz works now.
bewing wrote:Why hunt him down? Can't you just go to Network Solutions and buy it now?
Domain names don't usually work like that anymore. It used to be that after expiration a name would go into a pending delete state for 5 days and on the 6th day it would be released. Now what happens is the register almost always automatically renews the domain for themselves. Some registers give you a buy back period. Usually it's something like within 30 days the original owner can buy the domain for a pretty reasonable price (called a grace periord). 30-90 days after expiration the original owner can buy back the domain name for $100-$200 dollars (they call this an extended grace period). While the name was under the grace period the register typically uses it to serve ads. However there is no guaranty that there is any grace period at all. On a domain by domain basis the register can skip the grace period.
After a grace period (if any) the register may decide to keep using it to server up ads or typically they have, or partner with, a name dropping service. Which means they auction off the domain name to the highest bidder. Sometimes instead of an auction it may be given to someone who has back ordered the domain name. There are several places to back order a domain name and you have to know which one partners with the original register to stand any chance of getting it. If you backorder the domain with the wrong back order company you are basically waiting until the domain really drops. Most of the back order companies allow multiple people to back order the same domain. In that cases the domain name is automatically auctioned off. Sometimes the auction is limited to people that back ordered the domain and sometimes it is open to the public.
If the domain actually does expire it is likely that it will be automatically registered with a domain tasting company. Basically they register the name and server up ads for a couple of days. If the domain will make them more than the cost of registering it then they keep it. Otherwise the domain is "returned" and the tasting company doesn't have to pay anything. Sometimes a company just keeps tasting the same domain over and over, effectively keeping the domain registered without ever having to actually pay for it.
In the case of osdever.net Brenden (xsism) got to renew it because the register decided to do a grace period.
