The domain name CDROM.com, originally registered in 1992, expired and dropped yesterday. Here is the final live WHOIS record before the domain was deleted:
First, a concise history of the CDROM (written properly as CD-ROM.)
The CD-ROM, or Compact Disc Read-Only Memory, is an optical storage medium based on the same format as the audio CD but designed to store computer data. It holds information as tiny pits and flat areas called lands on a reflective polycarbonate surface. A low-power infrared laser reads the disc, and a photodiode detects differences in reflection to translate them into binary data. Because the data is pressed during manufacturing, CD-ROMs cannot be rewritten.
The technology emerged in the early 1980s through a collaboration between Philips and Sony, evolving from the audio CD standard launched in 1982; by the late 1980s the format became popular for distributing large software titles, encyclopedias, and multimedia.
Offering around 650 to 700 megabytes of storage, it far surpassed floppy disks. By the 1990s, CD-ROM drives were standard in PCs, and the format inspired CD-R and CD-RW versions. Its popularity began to fade in the 2000s as DVDs, broadband internet, and USB drives took over.
Today the CD-ROM is mostly obsolete, though it retains niche uses. Some archives and institutions still employ it for long-term document and image storage. In regions with limited internet, it can serve as a practical distribution medium. Certain legacy systems still depend on original CD-ROM software, and collectors and retro computing enthusiasts continue to value it as part of digital history.
Why did the domain CDROM.com drop in the first place?
As usual, we have the answer. 🙂
The domain name CDROM.com was part of the domain portfolio of now defunct Digital River, that led to the loss of some great domain names, including Software.net, Aqueduct.com, and DirectResponse.com.
While Software.net and DirectResponse.com were both caught by DropCatch, Aqueduct.com was grabbed by Gname, an up-and-coming drop-catching service based in Singapore.
The company utilizes 500 ICANN-accredited registrars, aptly named Gname 001 Inc. to Gname 500 Inc. in order to take up more crucial time slots during the time domains drop at the Registry.
It comes as no surprise that CDROM.com was caught by Gname, where it’s being auctioned at currently. In our opinion, the domain CDROM.com has lost its appeal now that it dropped, along with the obsolete medium it represents.
If you prefer the proper spelling, CD-ROM.com is listed for sale for just $1,500 dollars currently, perhaps the victim of GoDaddy’s domain valuation tool.
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