IS DNS Important?

Short Answer: YES

Especially when you're printing domain names on official government documents.

What is DNS?

DNS (Domain Name System) is like the phone book of the internet. It translates human-readable domain names (like villageoforlandhills.com) into IP addresses that computers can understand.

The Orland Hills Situation

Here's what happened:

  1. Village prints "villageoforlandhills.com" on parking tickets
  2. Village doesn't actually own "villageoforlandhills.com"
  3. Their internal DNS makes it work... internally
  4. Everyone else on the internet: 🤷‍♂️
  5. Domain gets purchased by someone else
  6. This website exists

How to Avoid This

Step 1: Check Domain Availability

Before printing a domain on anything, go to a domain registrar and check if it's available.

Step 2: Buy the Domain

If it's available and you want to use it, BUY IT. They cost like $12/year.

Step 3: Set Up Proper DNS

Point the domain to your actual website. Not just internally, but for everyone.

Step 4: Test From Outside Your Network

Use your phone on cellular data. Ask a friend. Just don't only test from inside your building.

The "Well It Works For Us" Problem

When your IT department says "well it works for us," what they mean is:

  • It works on our internal network
  • We haven't tested it externally
  • We don't understand how DNS works
  • We're about to have a problem

Conclusion

DNS is not just important - it's fundamental. If you're going to print a domain on thousands of official documents, maybe make sure you actually control that domain first.

Or don't, and provide endless entertainment for the internet.