Wait, if it was only firstname.lastname.name, how was he able to register firstnamelastname.name? Does it let you register 2nd level domains if you get there before someone else registers a 3rd level domain that uses the 2nd level domain that you want to register?
The status quo is that the registry proactively reserves a large list of 2LDs corresponding to attested personal names and surnames, making them unavailable for registration. One can register 3LDs underneath these. It will also reserve a 2LD reactively if someone wants to register a 3LD underneath it. Or, if a 2LD is not on the reserved list, someone can register it outright.
As far as I know the list of reserved 2LDs is not available, but you can query individual names via whois to see if they are reserved or not.
I don't know the history of when the offerings were available, but I initially bought my-first-name.my-rare-last-name.name, and fortunately nobody else bought another-name.my-rare-last-name.name, and I was able to let mine lapse then buy my-rare-last-name.name.
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They are cancelling 3rd level domains, not the 2-level domain you have.
Wait, if it was only firstname.lastname.name, how was he able to register firstnamelastname.name? Does it let you register 2nd level domains if you get there before someone else registers a 3rd level domain that uses the 2nd level domain that you want to register?
The status quo is that the registry proactively reserves a large list of 2LDs corresponding to attested personal names and surnames, making them unavailable for registration. One can register 3LDs underneath these. It will also reserve a 2LD reactively if someone wants to register a 3LD underneath it. Or, if a 2LD is not on the reserved list, someone can register it outright.
As far as I know the list of reserved 2LDs is not available, but you can query individual names via whois to see if they are reserved or not.
I don't know the history of when the offerings were available, but I initially bought my-first-name.my-rare-last-name.name, and fortunately nobody else bought another-name.my-rare-last-name.name, and I was able to let mine lapse then buy my-rare-last-name.name.
They altered the deal. Now they are altering it further.
Sets a bad precedent though, right?
Exactly