Trick Or Treat: Domains
Our most requested feature has nearly always been the ability to change a blog’s URL. We’ve been working on a system that lets you do just that and I am pleased to tell you that it is almost ready!
Just to clarify what I’m talking about, we are making it possible to give your WordPress.com blog a different URL. For example, your blog can live at yourdomain.com or blog.yourdomain.com instead of yourblog.wordpress.com.
Domain registration and mapping are sensitive, technical operations and we want these processes to be easy. To that end, the development and testing have to be thorough. While I was setting up test domains it occurred to me that I ought to set them up on live blogs rather than test blogs. The more traffic the systems gets during testing, the more confidently we can release the feature.
So here’s my idea: I’ll sneak into a few of your dashboards when you aren’t looking and give you a brand new domain based on your current one. If you like it, keep it as your blog URL until it expires or you renew it. If you don’t like it, you’ll be able to switch back to your wordpress.com domain. If you decide to keep it, all of your old URLs (permalinks) will still work. They’ll simply redirect visitors to the new URL.
It’s a bit of a treat and a bit of a trick. This is for testing, remember? Something might go horribly wrong and your blog might become inaccessible to visitors from Bangalore or Biloxi. You might not like the domain. You might be such a fan of WordPress that you miss your old subdomain. In any event, you will be able to switch your blog back to its old URL any time. The free URL also expires after one year, so you’ll have to pay to renew it or lose it. Tricky, huh?
I’ve set up a new domain for a friend already (Rhieinnon) but I don’t have that many friends so I’m just going to cruise comments on the top blogs for victims. First victim: Raincoaster. Watch out!
p.s. Matt had the idea of making the new domains free for a random selection of people who sign up. More details when we release the feature. (Soon!)
October 22nd, 2006 at 3:52 pm
well . goody good
October 22nd, 2006 at 3:58 pm
What a nice thing to log onto today. You’ve heard it before but I will say it again. You guys rock!
October 22nd, 2006 at 3:58 pm
I would be very much interested…
October 22nd, 2006 at 4:01 pm
Whee! how exciting! you guys are outstanding, I can’t believe all the great stuff you do for us.
October 22nd, 2006 at 4:01 pm
Hey, Thats great news
. So what does it take to get you into my dash board 
October 22nd, 2006 at 4:11 pm
what first commenter get :p
wordpress rules
October 22nd, 2006 at 4:12 pm
This is kind of vague and confusing. How will this system work? And what are you doing to our system? And if you impose this on some of us, will the original username.wordpress.com subdomain still work?
October 22nd, 2006 at 4:13 pm
FANTASTIC!!! Really Good news!
October 22nd, 2006 at 4:16 pm
Thought – what about if one already has a domain name? Can that be used for testing or when the service finally goes live?
October 22nd, 2006 at 4:21 pm
I have been waiting for this. Even registered shodanscrbbles.com at godaddy.
I am a willing guinea pig.
October 22nd, 2006 at 4:21 pm
Oooh, spooky! And tasty! All at the same time!
Pick me, pick me! *raises hands*
October 22nd, 2006 at 4:24 pm
That’s wild. Nice job.
October 22nd, 2006 at 4:25 pm
Me! Me! Me! Me, next. Hahaha just hapoy for this new upcoming “feature”. Goodluck.
October 22nd, 2006 at 4:27 pm
i want this feature in my blog linh760li.wordpress.com
Thank you very much!
October 22nd, 2006 at 4:33 pm
Wow! sounds cool to me
Lets have this up and running!!
October 22nd, 2006 at 4:35 pm
Doesn’t Andy have any avatar?
October 22nd, 2006 at 4:38 pm
Whoa. I like the part about changing domains, but not the part where things go horribly wrong
Nice work! WordPress FTW~
October 22nd, 2006 at 4:42 pm
Hi!
I already have a Domain routed to my wordpress blog, so i woukld not like this feature, allthough it´s a great one.
If the wordpress domain would change then the visitors to my real domain won´t be redirected to my blog.
Or have i misunderstood something?
Airway
October 22nd, 2006 at 4:47 pm
Very exciting! Good work again.
October 22nd, 2006 at 4:47 pm
uau! nice feature
October 22nd, 2006 at 4:48 pm
Wow! Way tricky. Thanks.
Looking forward to it.
Alicia
October 22nd, 2006 at 4:51 pm
Hi Andy,
Sounds like a great idea. I’ll be a victim–sneak into my dashboard and surprise me with a new domain!! I don’t have many visitors from Bangladore or Biloxi, so I’m up for giving it a try. URL me!!
October 22nd, 2006 at 4:52 pm
Thanks..
Very intersting..
How can we know whether we have been selected or not?
Thanks again..
October 22nd, 2006 at 4:55 pm
Pretty pleaaaaase
October 22nd, 2006 at 4:56 pm
/me would happily a guinea pig for such testing.
October 22nd, 2006 at 4:58 pm
nice work
October 22nd, 2006 at 4:59 pm
Ohh, ooh, pick me, pick me! I’ll be a GREAT friend!
October 22nd, 2006 at 4:59 pm
Ok, so mine is http://gavilan1010.wordpress.com , If I was to change to http://gavilan1010.com would the .wordpress.com one still work, as in all the websites im linked in ect…
and how much would the domain costs, this sounds good, please e- mail me at gavilan1010@gmail.com
October 22nd, 2006 at 5:09 pm
Wows! I am game!
October 22nd, 2006 at 5:13 pm
Looks cool. Thanks.
October 22nd, 2006 at 5:17 pm
cool~!!
October 22nd, 2006 at 5:18 pm
This is amazing!!
October 22nd, 2006 at 5:26 pm
oohh new domains free? that’s awesome
Anyway, great job! You guys are amazing. Love what you’ve done with it overall.
October 22nd, 2006 at 5:33 pm
Can u give me a free domain as well..I just love WordPress
Cant get enough of them
October 22nd, 2006 at 5:35 pm
This is going to be a real treat! Trick is ok, ppl would be willing to pay – just let them experience the taste of a new domain, build up users/readers who eat feeds from the new url.. and one year down the line many of them will pay (or risk loosing those many subscribers, page rank, etc)
Waiting for this one to be out!
October 22nd, 2006 at 5:38 pm
Well that is a kool thing bt I guess I will have to wait until I get myself my own domian.
October 22nd, 2006 at 5:48 pm
Nice to see you’re always making new stuff available for us ! THanks a lot
October 22nd, 2006 at 5:52 pm
Interesting. Thanks for your work nonetheless!
October 22nd, 2006 at 5:52 pm
Great idea Matt : )
i had to redir my current domain here, though i still love the .wordpress.com subdomain – nice n easy : )
October 22nd, 2006 at 5:58 pm
Cool idea. I’m still itching to be able to set my blog up at system13.com.
October 22nd, 2006 at 5:59 pm
Wonderful. But I really like the wordpress.com subdomain XD.
October 22nd, 2006 at 6:00 pm
Sounds like a very interesting idea. I am game
.
October 22nd, 2006 at 6:04 pm
Nice idea!
October 22nd, 2006 at 6:06 pm
I have SOOOOO been looking forward to this. Can’t wait to see what you have planned.
October 22nd, 2006 at 6:09 pm
cool, but dont get it but still cool
October 22nd, 2006 at 6:10 pm
Man, there you go again upping the ante!
Sweet offer to everyone who recieves it.
October 22nd, 2006 at 6:17 pm
Count me in!
October 22nd, 2006 at 6:19 pm
Yes, yes YES~! Hehe, Andy and WP.com et al, you guys are awesome. I was thisclose to registering a domain from 3rd party but still debating it.
Lo and behold you guys read my mind weee! For the record, if you guys tweak mine, I prefer: thehype.com
October 22nd, 2006 at 6:22 pm
Woah!
October 22nd, 2006 at 6:24 pm
Sounds awesome!
October 22nd, 2006 at 6:24 pm
Please randomly select me for the free domain!
October 22nd, 2006 at 6:25 pm
October 22nd, 2006 at 6:25 pm
me wants
October 22nd, 2006 at 6:26 pm
Cool!
October 22nd, 2006 at 6:28 pm
Too bad I already own the domain name I like so I guess no chance you will sneak in my dashboard. Still, this is great news! Been waiting patiently. I’m really looking forward to this feature.
October 22nd, 2006 at 6:30 pm
perfect!
October 22nd, 2006 at 6:38 pm
ooh. I want someone to sneak into my dashboard! (I’ve been throwing around the idea of getting my own domain — so this could definitely be the surprise I’d been looking for!)
Pick me!
October 22nd, 2006 at 6:46 pm
ahhhhh!!! ME ME!!! PICK ME!
October 22nd, 2006 at 6:56 pm
One of my comments got deleted
October 22nd, 2006 at 7:11 pm
This is awesome. I definitely want to change my link, but can we change it to anything we want, or does it still have to include our username?
October 22nd, 2006 at 7:15 pm
Sounds good, I would love to see how this works – if you need a tester more, count me in
October 22nd, 2006 at 7:19 pm
Been waiting for this! I hope it goes live soon
October 22nd, 2006 at 7:22 pm
Outstanding, finally a free blogging system that has that human touch to it and actually works well, not to mention look good too!
October 22nd, 2006 at 7:26 pm
The idea is superb, lets see if it will work. BTW, how much will the renew cost for extra 1 year?
October 22nd, 2006 at 7:37 pm
WordPress, you make trick or treating fun! I’m not looking, I’m leaving this reply, so feel free to sneak into my dashboard and fiddle with my domain at your earliest convienence.
October 22nd, 2006 at 7:44 pm
Sneak in my blog any time you want, I’m over 18 and consenting. (if I may: I’d like to be called plaintly techbee.fr in the future…if I am one of the selected fews. (I am French in France. I qualify as a minority blogger for any affirmative sneaking action).
October 22nd, 2006 at 7:45 pm
Suena interesante; vamos a ver cómo funciona en la práctica. De todas maneras felicidades, realmente uds. hacen un muy buen trabajo.
October 22nd, 2006 at 7:45 pm
Sneak in my blog any time you want, I’m over 18 and consenting. (if I may: I’d like to be called just “www.techbee.fr” in the future…if I am one of the selected fews. (I am French in France. I qualify as a minority blogger for any affirmative sneaking action).
October 22nd, 2006 at 7:47 pm
I’m not looking, I’m writing this reply, so feel free to sneak into my dashboard and fiddle with my domain. WordPress, you make trick or treating fun.
October 22nd, 2006 at 7:52 pm
very excited, I have been looking forward to this for a long time – got to love wordpress.
October 22nd, 2006 at 7:55 pm
Sounds fiendishly good
October 22nd, 2006 at 8:02 pm
Very interesting concept…. WordPress Rocks!!
October 22nd, 2006 at 8:21 pm
Ok..if you apply “foo.com” to Mr. Foo’s “foo.wordpress.com”, what are his right in terms of that domain?
That is, if Mr. Foo wants to shut down his wp.com site and open his own “www.foo.com”, will you allow him to purchase the domain?
Or am I overthinking this or something?
October 22nd, 2006 at 8:21 pm
I love you wordpress.
You complete me.
October 22nd, 2006 at 8:33 pm
gr8 ppl i would like to know who the lucky ppl r ne way and u didnt mention abt the price how much is it gonna cost i have start saving!!!!!
October 22nd, 2006 at 8:34 pm
Oooh. Now this is some candy I wouldn’t mind getting for Halloween. ;D
I should blog a bit more too I suppose.
October 22nd, 2006 at 8:34 pm
*hands up in the air* Awesome!
October 22nd, 2006 at 8:45 pm
trickyyyyyyy! Pick me – I will give you a trick-or-treat candy
October 22nd, 2006 at 8:50 pm
Cooooooooooooooooooool
October 22nd, 2006 at 8:53 pm
So how much will this cost?
So as of now, even if I have a domain there is nothing I can do to map it to my wordpress.com site?
October 22nd, 2006 at 9:09 pm
Where do I sign up???
GREAT option!
October 22nd, 2006 at 9:09 pm
I’ve always wanted to change mine to Ironic Surrealism.com. It was very late or early whichever way you look at it, when I first registered my blog. And on hindsight well…I should of put more thought into it.
October 22nd, 2006 at 9:18 pm
Waiting for the final execution. Two thumbs up!
October 22nd, 2006 at 9:28 pm
Really nice idea!!
Thank you guys for all the improvements you’ve been doing lately.
October 22nd, 2006 at 9:53 pm
Great trick or treat for Halloween. Loving the *new features* even in test phase.
but having the ability to have a chosen domain name … that is special. Thanks.
Me, I like people *knowing* I’m at WordPress
October 22nd, 2006 at 10:11 pm
Now this is cool and the gang!
Eoin
October 22nd, 2006 at 10:12 pm
As usual, cooler than cool… one thought: we will need to re-register in every place where we used our previous URL or will we keep both?
October 22nd, 2006 at 10:46 pm
Fantastic.
October 22nd, 2006 at 11:21 pm
I’m game
October 22nd, 2006 at 11:28 pm
sneak in, change mine to onethingiknow.whateverisavailable. I won’t mind : )
October 22nd, 2006 at 11:36 pm
wow! *whistles*
October 23rd, 2006 at 12:15 am
i have been waiting and waiting and waiting for this! i’m so excited! pick me! pick me!
October 23rd, 2006 at 12:27 am
I would say PICK ME PICK ME but Mary Kay Inc. already registered marykaysucks.com, so I don’t think I’m a good candidate!
October 23rd, 2006 at 12:35 am
Jesus F*cking Christ Andy, YOU ROCK!!!!!!!!!!
October 23rd, 2006 at 1:25 am
seems a good idea – pick me, please.
http://goldcoaster.wordpress.com
October 23rd, 2006 at 1:26 am
awesome
October 23rd, 2006 at 1:52 am
gavilan1010.com would be nice
!
October 23rd, 2006 at 2:04 am
new to wordpress and im loving it already, left another blog thats going completely pay for. thanks you guys!!!
October 23rd, 2006 at 2:14 am
In case my last “Go WordPress” post was too uh vigorous to survive the editing process, I’d just like to say thanks, and I’ve already gotten several direct hits from search engines looking for “raincoaster” which never happened before.
Double thanks!
October 23rd, 2006 at 2:20 am
Hey … I want one.
ps: I am a techie (familiar with DNS and stuff). I am willing to be a tester with my own domain. But, I’ll take whatever I got.