If you can buy domain names from other people, where do those people get there domain name? If they get it from someone else, where do they get theres?...it has to come from somewhere, where it is free or really cheap. And if you think about it, since the internet was made by a bunch of scientists, would it possiably come from them?

I would like to know these answers, so I might be able to figure out the mystery behind this, and also if I wanted to get a domain name for really cheap. Its a weird mystery, The Mystery Of The Domain Names!!!

Anyway, Thanks for the help!

in the beginning they were free but commercialism hit the Internet and well anything that wants to survive needs to make money ;)

What is it you are after domains to register for cheap (eNom|GoDaddy|ev1servers.net) or are you after domains that are already registered and want to know if there is some sort of magic that buyers sell their domains for cheap? ;)

Look for registered domains for cheap on afternic.com/sedo.com/here in the domains for sale/dnforum.com/domainstate.com/namepros.com

If you think there's an easy way of registering domains worth millions or you think a seller will sell you a valuable domain for peanuts think again ;)

It's a game thats for sure. Sometimes its how well you play, knowledge, or timing, and then again a pinch of luck never hurts either.

Domain names are merely entries in a database. It's what it is, which means essentially that you're domain is a name for your otherwise generic IP.

Domain names are not tangible by any means, and what you're essentially buying is control over where a domain is pointed. Who's to say that www.website.com doesn't point to my site, your site, Bob's site? The people who created this domain name system says so. They created a Top Level Domain name system, along with a few Second Level Domain names to put some sort of order to this chaos.

I think they did a good job, but with any sort of commodity there is always a premium to be paid for the good products.

You're paying for the domain naming system that regulates who gets what domain to point to where.

So domain names don't come from anywhere, you're paying for lines in a database that controls where internet traffic gets directed to.

I can go on and on, wanna go into D.A.R.P.A. & the internet too :D

along with a few Second Level Domain names to put some sort of order to this chaos

More than just "a few" - unless you are just referring to GTLDs - i.e., the generic codes like .com and .net that are not country-specific.

There are hundreds of ccTLDs (cc = country code) - one for every country in the world, and "country" in this context does not just mean sovereign countries but includes some islands with nothing on them but penguins.

For any newbies (or even not-so-newbies) who want to find out more about how it all works I suggest having a look at www.iana.org

If you got in early enough, you could make a lot of money with domain names. Sometimes you can get luck and find a good name.

Originally posted by 1jetsam
If you can buy domain names from other people, where do those people get there domain name? If they get it from someone else, where do they get theres?...it has to come from somewhere, where it is free or really cheap. And if you think about it, since the internet was made by a bunch of scientists, would it possiably come from them?
Think about license plates. ;)

think about real states and good locations :)
phone numbers
etc..

they bought them when they were available or cheap and with time the price raise..

for good domains they all gone so the only thing new comers can do is having so much money to buy good domains and keep them for future when the pricing goes up you sell them again :)