When GoDaddy.com moved 4.5 million domain names from Apache to Microsoft's IIS on Windows 2003 (and paid to by Microsoft, reports said), it caused a 5% sever share drop for Apache on the next month's Netcraft report. In response, Bruce Perens created OpenSourceParking.com, a no-cost parking lot for undeveloped domain names. In addition to helping restore Apache's pre-eminent position (which has been between 65% and 70% for awhile now), it helps Linux as well, by telling Netcraft that all the parked sites are running Apache on Linux. Also, revenue from advertising on the parted domains will fund efforts on behalf of open source and free software.
To park your undeveloped domain there, set your domain servers to ns1.opensourceparking.com and ns2.opensourceparking.com. DNS operators can set their undeveloped domain names to be a CNAME of opensourceparking.com. Domain resellers not tempted by Microsoft candy can set parking site names to opensourceparking.com.
- Doc Searls