Many of the reasons presented for not using your web host as your registrar, such as they may get bought by a shady company, or try and lock your domain in if you try and move it, could happen just the same with an independent registrar. I don't using a separate registrar mitigates risk, and the benefits of having your domains at your host can be numerous: consolidated billing, automated DNS setup, and in some cases cheaper prices because the hosting company treats domain registration as a value-add to its primary product offering (hosting), not as a source of revenue generation itself.
The process of transferring domains these days is automated and nearly the same between every registrar I've used in recent years, regardless of whether or not they offer hosting. I have never had one that tried to lock me/prevent me from moving a domain, period, as long as you have direct access to the account at the registrar which the domain is registered under.
This does bring up one scenario that I do warn people against when registering a domain however. Always make sure you personally setup and hold access to the account at the registrar that holds your domain. Don't just let your web designer do it for you because it's easier, or you don't understand the technical stuff. Get them to walk you through it, but make sure it's your account. I have seen disgruntled web designers make life difficult for clients trying to migrate away from them on more than one occasion because the domain was registered under the web designers account.
This service sounds great. Almost too good to be true (they'll scan and organize your "receipt shoebox" for free?). But I do have to say it's a little alarming that after signing up, it appears I can't do anything further without entering all my private bank details (including password and security question!) into a website that is not my bank.
Let's recap: 1) Website I've never heard of before 2) sounds too good to be true 3) immediately requires my bank's password.
I'm not saying this is a scam--infact I'm sure it isn't since I was sent there from a TC aritcle--but unfortunately logic still prevails and I have to pass on this one. I wish there was a way to test drive the site by manually uploading or entering my details (and if there is a way already, it should be more apparent how to do so).
Making sure to renew your domain name is a good solution if you actually want to keep your domain. But what if you are done with that domain, and purposely let it expire? Is there a way to delete your Google Apps account entirely before letting the domain name expire, so the next person to register that domain can start from scratch with Google Apps, as if that domain had never been used before?
I agree. When trying to coin a new terminology, try not to use one that's already been in use for 15 years or so... <i>especially</i> when they're both related to ways of transferring files. It makes even reading about their product confusing.
Since GMail released their small revision the other day that put a more "GMail-like" GUI on the Contacts section, I've been sorting and completing my list of contacts. I had 5 ambiguous e-mail addresses left that I couldn't pinpoint who they belonged to. After reading this article I decided to give this Facebook feature/vulnerability a try. 4 out of 5 previously anonymous e-mails are now verified with their first, last name, and photo (it turns out I know all 4 in person so in all likelihood the results are correct). Not too shabby, and a little bit scary.
The process of transferring domains these days is automated and nearly the same between every registrar I've used in recent years, regardless of whether or not they offer hosting. I have never had one that tried to lock me/prevent me from moving a domain, period, as long as you have direct access to the account at the registrar which the domain is registered under.
This does bring up one scenario that I do warn people against when registering a domain however. Always make sure you personally setup and hold access to the account at the registrar that holds your domain. Don't just let your web designer do it for you because it's easier, or you don't understand the technical stuff. Get them to walk you through it, but make sure it's your account. I have seen disgruntled web designers make life difficult for clients trying to migrate away from them on more than one occasion because the domain was registered under the web designers account.