Overview:
In the past there was only one major registrar, network solutions. They were given a contract from the US government to manage the root servers for the most popular internet domains (.com, .net and .org). Today with open competition there are hundreds of registrars many offers significant value in terms of features and price.

Making a choice:
A number of people have emailed asking which registrar they should use.  There are many choices, your best bet is to compare yourself and choose a registrar that provides the services you need at a price you can afford.

Price:
For many customers, price is the most important consideration. Domains are a commodity item and for the most part you receive the exact same registration regardless of which company you choose.

Features:
Since the registrations are identical registrars try and differentiate themselves based on features. If you are just looking for straight domain name registration then working with any registrar will give you what you want however if you want to use your domain the extra features may be useful.

Management:
Most registrars provide a web interface were you can manage your domain. This allows you to update your contact and billing details and configure your domain settings without the delay of having to contact someone.

Parking:
Your domain must be setup with 2 nameservers at the time of registration. If you are just securing your domain and don’t with to use it right away most registrars provide free domain parking. This means that they will provide you with 2 default nameservers for free and your site will resolve to a tempory page until you are ready to use it.

Email:
Registering a domain secures it for your use but does nothing on its own. Some registrars offer add on services such as email at your domain. This allows you to send and receive email like you@yourdomain.com rather than you@your_isp.com. Even if your registrar offers such services you are always free to use your own ISP or another company for email services.