I want all your opinions on something.

I just registered the domain ayonae.com. I'm strongly considering transitioning us to that domain, instead of ayonae.ro. However, I want to make sure that isn't going to greatly upset anyone first.

The reason is simple. Google considers this site a Romanian site, due to the domain (.ro). Thus, we rank amazingly low for English searches, even though we've got lots of great English content.

I wouldn't mind seeing new users trickle in to participate in our discussions, so that we can grow a bit. Ranking well in search engines is going to be pretty important in making that happen, outside of paid advertising (which seems a bit beyond the scope of what we're doing here).

So, what do you think? Is a gradual transition to ayonae.com alright with you?

Sounds like it might be all right (the .ro is a nice tribute to our heritage, though). Can we not just use both domains? Have the .ro one automatically forward to the .com one? Seems quite a few websites do that these days. If funding for two domains is an issue I'm sure raising a few extra bucks wouldn't take too long around here.

Both would work for the foreseeable future. I definitely wouldn't purposely turn off access via ayonae.ro.

However, we don't own the .ro domain and haven't been able to get in touch with Edeina for years. So, I couldn't make any promises about it working forever.

For that matter, if he were to forget to renew it or get hit by a bus, we have no recourse or contingency plan currently.

ayonaero.com!

the ro is the best part!

Domains are cheap, like $3 / year. They probably don't even realize they keep renewing it. You can easily have them both mirrored to the ayonae.com address I'd imagine.

Yes, obviously. Ayonae.com is already registered and pointing here at the same time as ayonae.ro.

The point is that we have no control at all over the .ro domain. As long as everything stays the same, it'll keep working.

If we need to change servers or if Ed's credit card number changes or something, we're screwed.

The situation we're in right now is dumb, and precluding us from any search traffic.

If we have no control over the .ro domain, how would we set up a redirect from ayonae.ro to ayonae.com?

I can 301 .ro to .com at the server. Forums.ayonae.ro and www.ayonae.ro already 301 to ayonae.ro. This would be similar.

So is it too late to do ayonaero.com as Greystone suggested? =)

second ayonaero.com

Couldnt there possible copyright or intellectuall issues with ayonaero.com?
Anything you wanna do is ok with me. you run the show and do a fantastic job.
my only concern is getting to many people that it becomes cacophonous. the thing i love about this board is that it's a smaller very intelligent community that doesnt experiance 495 new threads a day.

Yeah, I'd like to avoid ayonaero.com as a primary partially for that reason. Also partially because a single word domain is usually easier for people to remember, easier to brand, etc.

Ayonaero.com has been registered to someone else for over 7 years, so that's likely out of the question anyway.

Registered through: GoDaddy.com, Inc. (http://www.godaddy.com)
Domain Name: AYONAERO.COM
Created on: 19-Dec-00
Expires on: 25-Mar-08
Last Updated on: 11-Oct-07

As long as we don't attract anymore Jehadists! (j.k.)

I am all for it.

Pretty much indifferent here, you do a great job managing I support your initiatives to better the board :)

I'm sorry, I know it's petty... but I'd hate it if we moved from ayonae.ro, it's quite original...if you're not in Romania.

If you dont have control if Ed's cards and number changed I would say change it to the one you do have control over. I am also in agreement if you can route this one to the new one all the better. :)

Would be nice to keep the Ayonae.ro but in order to keep this as something you have direct control over, I'm all for the ayonae.com addy.

Even if I'll be a bit sad, I'm all for a ayonae.com switch. More control and new heads can't hurt. :)


And I can't wait for our first "What does "Ayonae" stand for btw?" post!! :D

flamewar.org !

ro.ayonae.com clearly.

Thanks for the support, guys (and gals). I'll be transitioning the primary URL over to ayonae.com over the next few weeks/months.

However, like I said, I have no intention of interfering with ayonae.ro working. If you prefer that, then by all means keep using it. Just remember to try ayonae.com, if ayonae.ro stops working someday due to events out of my control.

By the way, I realize this is a bit late, but I do have Edeina's IM and do see her (him) on the wire occasionally - did you want me to pass any message along regarding this?

Regards,
Nydia

Thanks for the support, guys (and gals). I'll be transitioning the primary URL over to ayonae.com over the next few weeks/months.

However, like I said, I have no intention of interfering with ayonae.ro working. If you prefer that, then by all means keep using it. Just remember to try ayonae.com, if ayonae.ro stops working someday due to events out of my control.

Are we splitting ourselves into two then, IE have to read two boards now instead of one? Or connecting the two addies and it is just one website?

I guess you'll never know, unless you check out the radically new and different site on ayonae.com.

Damn Sanchek, amazing job on the new ayonae.com site! I am especially fond of the login screen!

Let me know if you have any trouble logging in on ayonae.ro or ayonae.com (if one doesn't work, try the other). I had to re-jigger some of the cookie/domain settings to allow logins from both.

now my cookie is timing out like mad :devil

Did you try logging in through ayonae.com?

Did you try logging in through ayonae.com?

I did, but logged immediately out. Ill try it over here for a while and see how it holds up.

You might have to log in twice if you've logged out of both domains. Your browser won't let the board share the same cookies between the two domains, so they're sort of separated in terms of logins (but nothing else).