Try this - type word in search bar without extension

[hugegrowth]

Just tried to type some terms into my search bar
without domain extension to see what happens.

I use IE and I also have a google toolbar.
When I type a word into the IE bar without
a domain extension, a new window opens at google
with the search returns for that word.

weird that using microsoft explorer I get google
results, the google toolbar must make IE default
to google?

a couple terms I tried opened a new window but
went directly to a website.

"konacoffee" went to konacoffee.com

"blog" went to blogger.com (owned by google?)

I wonder if you can "buy" words that when typed
in would go directly to your website, if the person doesn't
use an extension?

 

[paulc]

when I type straight into the bar it goes straight to msn search.

 

[Deleted member 66661]

I tried typing in blog:
In IE it goes to MSN search
In Firefox it goes to www.blogger.com

Interesting.

 

[MrDude]

blog goes to blogger, also try typing in a in firefox, Apple

 

[tekz999]

I know this long time. When i typed f, it goes to f-secure.com huk --;

 

[dsturbed]

That's very old. During the whole dot com there was a company ( I believe it was a company MS owned) that featured the ability to purchase KEYWORDS like that so when people would type in "Google" or "MSN" or "Blog" or "Search" or "Cars" ...etc it would go to a particular site...

Im sure that company is long gone however, it never really caught on, like most businesses during that time

 

[droplister]

im pretty sure if you type in a keyword in the bar in FF, and its not a domain, it will take you to the #1 google result for the term.

blogger.com is #1 for "blog" so its probably something your looking for anyways, so there you go.

 

[picassoface]

i was on a friends Aol account and typed in afternic without the www and aol search page came up with SEDO as the #1.... thought it was funny.

 

[hugegrowth]

I wonder how many people per day type a word in their browser without extension and hit "enter". If it's a lot, then there is some advantage in a company putting out their own browser product, like FireFox. They can forward that traffic anywhere they want, make partnerships, etc.

 

[BobDiGiTaL]

That's very old. During the whole dot com there was a company ( I believe it was a company MS owned) that featured the ability to purchase KEYWORDS like that so when people would type in "Google" or "MSN" or "Blog" or "Search" or "Cars" ...etc it would go to a particular site...

Im sure that company is long gone however, it never really caught on, like most businesses during that time

Yes, you are correct. Microsoft owned a company called realnames, I think.
I worked for a company called Verio and we sold "address bar keywords" to companies.
The contract was only good for a certain amount of "searches" like 1,000,000 or 2,000,000.
It only worked if someone typed in a keyword in the address bar like it was a google search without the www and (dot) com.
I think it only worked for Internet Explorer. Which is what everyone used in '98.
Thanks for the stroll down memory lane.
how can someone work for an internet company in '98 and only get into domains at the end of '05 ? :veryangry

 

[Luc]

if you disable the google/msn/yahoo toolbars putting in whatever keywords you want won't do anytihng except take you to http://keyword/ without the TLD. having the toolbars on will redirect you to the first result of the particular engine.

 

[Mr. Deleted]

I type in the domain without the ext, and hit Crtl+enter, and it adds the www. and .com. I think there are other browsers that if you type in the KW without the ext, it automaticly takes you to the .com, which makes them more powerful them any other ext.

 

[VisualDigits]

if you disable the google/msn/yahoo toolbars putting in whatever keywords you want won't do anytihng except take you to http://keyword/ without the TLD. having the toolbars on will redirect you to the first result of the particular engine.

You are 100% correct.

 

[namewaiter]

I type in the domain without the ext, and hit Crtl+enter, and it adds the www. and .com. I think there are other browsers that if you type in the KW without the ext, it automaticly takes you to the .com, which makes them more powerful them any other ext.

exactly .. this is how i bring up sites as well, i just type in dnforum and hit crtl+enter

 

[DNGeeks]

In Opera if I type in blog I would go to blog.com (adding the tld automagically). If blog.com didn't resolve then it would try blog.net, and after that I would assume blog.org (never had it get that far).