Is Mark for real? I just spent 30 seconds on Google and found all sorts of information regarding the questions above.

Is this maybe a case where the "newbie" is lazy and expects someone to hand-deliver all of his questions in complete and utter servitude? He can find all of his questions and more at any of a hundred websites. Specifics about legal battles and costs are plentiful on several of the top domain forums as well.

I'm just saying....

Sorry, I have to disagree with the comment you received Tia. Domainers are the most helpful group of people I have ever had the pleasure of interacting with. You only have to read domaining.com for a day to see that and I'm very new.

I agree with Mark, domain bloggers always assume their readers have at least a certain knowledge of the industry. However, for starters (but also for domainers who wish to ask a question about a particular topic) there are great forums like Dnforum and NamePros (the latter is free).

I have to agree with Tia and @Richard Knight, I was well embraced by the experienced domainers when I started... a USPTO filing goes far beyond domaining and there is TONS of info out there. Dig just a little.

I found it extremely easy to get answers when I first started out and still do. There doesn't seem to be any shortage of people willing to help on the forums that I frequent.

Maybe some people just need it spoon feed to them...I don't know

Yes the Gurus are not friendly with newbies : they have registered all the good .coms in the early 80s and leave the newcomers nothing but foreign weird IDN TLD ! (peanuts !)

I wish I had waken up at that time to register tshirts.com that sold last week for over 1M $ ! Mom why did you not wake me up ?!

You Great Gurus should give alms to newbies ! As for myself, I just ask one sleeve of your Tshirts.com !

Den

I don't think it very much different than any other industry.
However domaining is not structured like other industries, we also lack professional bodies and a code of conduct, in some aspects it's the Wild West and you're on your own...

this is such a great moment for me to express how much i am sickened by 'self-proclaimed expert domainers' in the domain space.

** keep in mind, i apologize for bunching up the good ones**

but for the most part places like (ESPECIALLY like) Names Pro is filled (and i mean FILLED like cockroaches) with nothing but self-serving egotistical, supposed know-it-alls that seems their only existence in life is to make themselves feel better by belittling anybody who dares walk into their field of 'expertise' PLEASE!!! You're no different than me.

it makes my stomach turn when i even think of these people (again, sorry to all the legitimate good guys out there)

try asking for an appraisal and you get smacked down as if you barely understood what a domain was - mostly any noob posting a name in the appraisal section will get a "reg-fee - if that" response.
I tested the waters a few times and listed domains for appraisal that i knew had sold for upper $xxx and low $x,xxx only to get reg fee responses every time (not to mention constant abuse from the expert trolls who run rampant) - "Names Pro is SICKENING" - one of the most frustrating domain forums anywhere on the web built around bitter domainers who may have missed a certain boat or are only versed in one industry and wish to PISS ON any other ones they have not a clue about.

and the advice they 'offer' is never anything intuitive or something you could not find on any domaining 101 website. Same spiel, same garbage. Just because some dirtbag goes around spitting in everybody's face for a couple of years and accumulates 4,000 posts along the way they think it gives them the right to talk down to you . well guess what - WRONG.
You're really NOT a help to me or the others trying to learn - you're only there for YOU and i'm tired of it.
there is a new breed of domainers out there who will eventually turn this round and i will be glad to be a part of it

Granted, there are some "big fellas" out here who won't loudly proclaim industry/strategic secrets, but the beauty of domaining is that no 2 strategies are exactly alike. It's the individual who is responsible for developing their unique approach which can most easily be achieved through researching the information. And there is no shortage of useful content available to newcomers in the world of domains.

i just read this same carbon-copied comment on Elliot's blog. so much comment spam

I file USPTO stuff and I have no problem with the on line instructions.

However, I attended a 4 day seminar at the PTO a few years back and learned what they are looking for.

Domainers for the most part are entrepeurs not attorneys and can't help with PTO stuff. Call an attorney is you have a USPTO issue that you don't understand. I will be worth it.

Domainers are a very helpful group when the have the answer.

@Floname: completely agree. What works for one person may not work for another. Great examples are Morgan Linton and Bruce Marler. They entered the domain industry only a couple of years ago and have paved their own paths.