Is it bad to want to sell domains that you are no longer going to use? As I went through my list, I got excited again about a bunch of the original ideas I had for them. The problem, as my grandfather used to say, is that my eyes were bigger than my stomach. That is to say that I don't have the time to create the site and market the business that I'd like to for each of them.

I don't think he's saying it's necessarily bad to sell domain names but I think the intention here is to help out your fellow hackers.

If you've got a domain you're not using and a member of this community can make use of it I think that's good karma.

"you may say that people can't post domain names that they're selling for more than $100"

god yes that would be an awesome USP.

That kind of policy only helps the squatters. If you set a $100 maximum then you'd just get squatters buying them all for $100 and reselling them for much, much more. There's not much difference in paying $100 for something and paying $10 for something, if you're going to sell it for $10,000 or $100,000.

I've made a living buying and selling domain names and 100$ is a fine price in many cases. I've had days where I've registered 100+ names... if I could get decent liquidity at $100/each, I would be a happy man.

Anyways, about the idea, one of two outcomes is possible:

1. If they domain is worth more than threshold, someone will buy it and take advantage. I don't see a difference of a startup benefiting versus someone else reselling it. the difference in value is still being captured.

2. Garbage names, nobody cares and the site dies.

I know I am not the only domain investor reading HN and if there is quality, someone will buy them.

Isn't this squatting? Correct me if I'm wrong.

Squatting is infringing other people's trademarks. If I bought micros0ft.com and covered it in software ads, that would be squatting.

If I bought hotels.com and planned to sell it for money to a big hotel chain or something, I've not infringed anyone's rights. Generic/descriptive names are normally OK.

of course if there is a company using the generic for a non-generic purpose and I grab a typo/another extension and use their non-descriptive purpose, that is also squatting. For example, if I owned amazon.net and tried to sell books that would infringe on amazon. Or if I bought apple.net and sold computers. However, if I advertised amazon rain forest trips or sold apples that would be ok (not squatting).

Of course, lots of money and lawyers can change what is and isn't right (checkout nissan.com)

Sorry who will they resell them to?