Ask HN: How did Academia.edu get their .edu domain?

[TAGMentor]

Anyone have insight into the specifics / origins of Academia's .edu domain? Here's what I've dug up so far:

Educause is the registrar for all .edu domains. Their terms state:

Eligibility for a .edu domain name is limited to U.S. postsecondary institutions that are institutionally accredited, i.e., the entire institution and not just particular programs, by agencies on the U.S. Department of Education’s list of Nationally Recognized Accrediting Agencies. These include both "Regional Institutional Accrediting Agencies" and "National Institutional and Specialized Accrediting Bodies" recognized by the U.S. Department of Education.

The Cooperative Agreement between EDUCAUSE and the U.S. Department of Commerce specifies that all .edu names in existence as of October 29, 2001 are "grandfathered", regardless of current or past eligibility requirements.

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So, it only makes sense if they held it prior to 10/29/01 (or purchased it / leased it from another party).

Any thoughts?

[vash3g]

Domain record activated: 10-May-1999

from: http://whois.domaintools.com/academia.edu

[npk]

They answered this question many years ago.

http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=23938