Microsoft Tool To Help Users Avoid Typo Domains

blueZ3 writes "ZDnet is running a story on a new tool from Microsoft that aims to inform users when they reach 'typo domains'. Apparently, there's concern in Redmond that IE users are being exploited by companies running ad farms on typo domains. The tool uses an automated search routine to look for domains with particular types of typographical errors--transpositions, incorrect TLDs, missing letters--and then adds the domains to a database. The eventual goal (though this isn't clear from the article) seems to be something akin to Verisign's URL redirecting, where typo domains are blocked."

Misspelled domain data

[RunFatBoy.net]

The article isn't entirely clear whether the app reports back to MS your web surfing locations. Granted, it could be useful to see what the user is commonly misspelling, but at the same time, I really have no interest in relinquishing this information.

Jim -- http://www.runfatboy.net/ [runfatboy.net] -- A workout plan that doesn't feel like homework.

Sounds great, but may be damaging to some

[macklin01]

This sounds like a great idea, but I can see some legitimate causes being harmed. For instance, Untied.com [untied.com] is a typo of United, which is used to protest some labor practices at United Airlines [united.com].

I guess the question is, how is MS going to determine the legitimate misspellings from the illegitimate misspellings? Certainly United doesn't like the misspelling above, but it's not anti-consumer like misspelling a company name and winding up at a spam site, or worse yet, a phishing site. -- Paul

Swipe at Google?

[dannytaggart]

Is this a strategic swipe at Google's ad revenue for parked domains?

A shot at Google

[Anonymous Coward]

It may not look like it, but this is a strategic move against Google.

Google makes a significant amount of money of bulk domainers. Domainers are people who buy domains in bulk, expecting to make revenue off inexperienced users tying words directly into the URL bar, variations/misspellings on popular domain names etc). An example is something like http://www.bloggerforums.com/ [bloggerforums.com].

By making users aware of what's going on, they'll be more likely to fix the problem themself (instead of clicking one of the sponsored links by Google), thus cutting a part of the revenue stream. (How big? Well, Google obviously isn't going to say, but it's estimated to be way into the hundred of millions.)

Good MS

[Ramble]

Honestly, I think this is a good thing. MS is going to the root of the cause, which is when ol' Joe Sixpack types in google but misspells and downloads personal search bar from some random IP address.

This along with the phishing filter will hopefully solve alot of web crime and issues like that.

Re:Misspelled domain data

[Anonymous Coward]

Of course it reports back the information to Microsoft. What do you think happens when you type something in Internet Explorer's address bar and it doesn't recognize the input instead directing you (and your input) to Microsoft's server at search.MSN.com (whether you like it or not)?

This so-called benevolent service is like your telephone deciding for you you did not mean to dial that number and so directing you to the number it thought you meant to dial on its own. Would you like your telephone to do that for you?

It is sickening how Microsoft tries to control the ability of the enduser to get things done on their own computer. From false DOS error messages with early Windows betas, to integrating a web browser into its operating system to prevent competition from Netscape, to interfering with governments' decisions to use open standards formats, Microsoft has done more to harm the advancement of computing than any company I know of.

Re:Misspelled domain data

[TheLinuxSRC]

Redirecting me to the internet's most popular search engine when *no* DNS record is available is an order of magnitude different from redirecting me based on a "typo" -- how do they know it was a typo? That is before I have to worry about my browser reporting my surfing habits to MS.

In fact, as of yet, Google still (in my book - the whole China thing has nothing to do with me and it is not my place to impose my values on another country, regardless of how I feel) hasn't done anything evil. MS, IMHO, on the other hand, hasn't done a lot that *isn't* evil.