DomainWatchDog(TM) is now available at,

www.DomainWatchDog.info

This is an Alpha version and will include a monthly license file until product completion. Further details are discussed on the home page. I now release all the testers from their "vow of silence" and you may now freely discuss DomainWatchDog with others.

Please note that the docs are out of date and I will try to work on them first before addressing any more coding issues.

Thank You for trying out DomainWatchDog(TM)!

My thanks to all the testers past and present, and future!

Manage up to 65000 domains

Not suitable for Buydomains, ultsearch, ...

Originally posted by Goh
Not suitable for Buydomains, ultsearch, ...

No problem, if they wish to incentivize me then I'd be happy to rewrite the file storage using SQL. With that they'd have a 32 bit LONG of domains they could run with.

But once you get into the thousands of domains then the initial load time / initialization is very long as DWD archives a lot of data / details.

The current DomainWatchDog(TM) license is about to expire so I'll be cutting a new release tomorrow and extend the free unlimited license to December 15th.

Thus far there have been quite a few downloads but I've not heard and comments good or bad. So I must conclude the people who downloaded it think it sucks or that it's just "satisfactory". If you have any comments, good or bad, please let me know.

Also if you have any bug reports or suggestions please let me know -- I'll try to implement minor tweeks for the Alpha 2 release. I'll also try to bring the Docs inline with the current code for the Alpha 2 release.

Thanks!

Sorry for delay in updating, I too run the Alpha distribution and was unable to access my domain lists for the last couple of days. From now on I'll try to allways keep DWD at least 2 weeks away from expiration so as to make sure you all have a working copy. Thank you for your understanding!

Alpha Version 2 is now available (DomainWatchDog link is in my signature). This version expires on December 31, 2003. There have been no real changes other than you can now reduce the width of the main window to a smaller size than you could with the Alpha Version 1 copy.

Thank you!

Alpha Version 3 is now available (DomainWatchDog link is in my signature). This version expires on January 31, 2004. There have been no significant updates just some continued minor bug fixes.

Thank you!

Alpha Version 4 is now available (DomainWatchDog link is in my signature). This version expires on February 29, 2004. There have been no significant updates just some continued minor bug fixes.

I'm going to try to update the Doc's this week and bring them up to date with the changes that have been made since I last worked on the docs.

Thank you!

I see some people are visiting looking for the next DWD release.

The next DomainWatchDog release will *FINALLY* be a Beta release. Many bugs have been fixed, initial version features added / completed / tested (512 bit 16 round Blowfish Encryption is now completely operational). I have also exposed previously undocumented features. Unfortunately I've not had the time to work on bringing the docs up to date. In the next day or so I'll have the Beta version available for download and hopefully by next weekend have the docs updated -- Which will include a minor EXE update for the new doc layout I'm planning.

The initial Beta release will continue to be completely unlimited except for the 30 day limit that will end March 31, 2004. Thereafter I will be switching to the final license model:

1) Unregistered versions will be limited to 5 domains max and may initially include a 6 month time limit.

2) Registered versions (~$80) will be completely unlimited and will include perpetual upgrades.

Thanks!

-- Monday March 8, 2004 --

Late last night I completed the BETA release of DomainWatchDog(TM).
I'm now going to spend the next two days testing and tweeking it.
So my current goal is public release this Wednesday March 10, 2004

Again, my appologies for the delay.
Thank you for your interest!

My humble opinion is that the software is way too cluttered. People have gotten used to browseing web pages not using the windows style menus (and I'm from the old school of computers).

Just my honest opinion, other than that, the software is great.

Originally posted by slashdev
My humble opinion is that the software is way too cluttered.

Just my honest opinion, other than that, the software is great.

Honest opinions are *EXACTLY* What I want slashdev.

Thank you!

Regarding being cluttered: I hope you are refering specifically to the Domain Editor window, if not please provide more details.

People have gotten used to browseing web pages not using the windows style menus (and I'm from the old school of computers).

I do not understand this comment. Please explain.



Bottom line --

The more *HONEST* feedback you all give me the more likely DomainWatchDog is likely to evolve in the direction you'd like.

I've got about 20 years of diverse product development experiance ... So I no longer have any ego to bruise. Feel free to "lay it on me" and tear it apart folks. Others have allready done so and have felt my response was just what they were looking for.

Also I really need to update the Docs next to help clarify things. That will be next, however I'm started another large project so the Docs updates will likely be a couple weeks or so.

Thanks!

What I mean is the menu style (drop down from the top of the window is rarely used).

Most people use browser-style menus on the left in a tree structure rather than drop down where everything is laid out.

Slashdev,

Sent you a PM to discuss this in more detials.

Thanks!

ILikeInfo

Ok, I need a break --

Time to *SHIP IT*!!! DomainWatchDog(TM) Beta version has been cut and is now available!

Code:

Notes:

1) DomainWatchDog(TM) will automatically upgrade your old Domains list

2) Due to major database changes your Registrar List *WILL NOT* be upgraded
   and will be replaced with a baseline set of registrars. You will be given
   the option to write your current registrar list to a file and then cut and
   paste the information you wish to save back into DomainWatchDog(TM).
   Sorry for the inconvience. I've put hooks in which should hopefully prevent
   this from happening again.

3) You *WILL* need to perform a complete population of all your domains. This
   is due to the many changes that have been made to data formats. Just use the
   Block editor, "Select All" under main window EDIT, click on the item number
   heading in main window, then click on the Populate button.

Code:

New features (in order they were made)

1) Modified DNS format for easier reading
2) Changed Watch button to be modeless and changed colors
3) Added database search function
4) HTTP server now defaults to *ENABLED* so people don't wonder why Search does not work
5) Changed "Other Window" default font to that which the button sizes were originally defined
6) Exposed previously undocumented HTTP BetterWhois(TM) server.
      - This feature can be run when DomainWatchDog(TM) is in Watch mode
7) Imporoved DWD's TCPIP server performance
8) Eliminated multiple instances of the HTTP server semaphore, now just in settings
9) Added HTTP servers IP and Port to settings window so you can see exactly where it is
10) Reduced the minimum size of main window again so now it can be very tiny\
11) Fixed some database bugs
12) Modified HTTP BetterWhois(TM) HTML layout
13) Fixed some HTTP BetterWhois(TM) bugs
14) Changed NameServer report to state "[NULL]" versus have blank cell
15) Windows other than main are no longer restored when comming out of various states
16) I've been chasing a very elusive BetterWhois(TM) window GPF problem
      - Changed the button images from JPGs to GIFs and think this may have fixed it
17) Added Domain Creation Date *EVERYWHERE*
      - Makes it easy to spot those domains past the 60 days hold
      - This is one of a number of changes that force the domain file format to change
18) Added yet another Domain error reporting system
      - You can now access a CGI script to report failures to automation
19) Now passing error details on the command line to EXE's
20) Fixed Search function
21) Added automatic database upgrade code
22) Fixed date parsing bug, now year 19**'s are properly parsed
23) Changed settings window into tabs.
24) Fixed more DNS lookup bugs. DNS lookup was not properly closing sockets and
    was abusively using socket resources.
25) Added Throttle to HTTP BetterWhois(TM)
      - HTTP BetterWhois(TM) *IS NOT* ment to be used abusively via automation ....
26) 512 bit, 16 round, Blowfish encryption of Registrar File is now operation
      - This should more that make stored registrar usernames and passwords safe
      - If you lose your password you are screwed. Sorry, *DO NOT* ask me to help.
      - Enter / Change Password via settings window
27) Renamed "Column Editor" to "Block Editor"
28) Added Registrar Browse button to Domain Editor window
29) Reordered Fields in RegistrarEditor window
      - I can never make up my mind as to the best way the order these fields. :(
30) Automatic Whois Registrar parser is now operational
      - 113 registrars are builtin and used to seed the Registrar List
      - The default registrars can be edited but not deleted
      - You may add more registrar as you wish and may delete those you add
31) Further enhanced the Date parser to handle even more whois formats
32) Added a feature where many BlockEditor selections now run *MUCH* faster