FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: How can I check if my ENS domain is a Prepunk?

A: The easiest way is to use a dedicated verification tool like verify.prepunk.club or check reliable Dune Analytics dashboards (like Makoto Inoue's original or updated versions that include blank spaces). Look for a registration date between May 9, 2017, and June 23, 2017, or a row_number less than or equal to 79,720.

Q: What are the different subcategories under Prepunk?

A: Prepunks include various types like Top 1k/10k (based on registration rank), OG Digits (all numbers), Ethmojis (containing emojis), Palindromes, Brand/Dictionary names, First/Surnames, International names (Non-ASCII), Malformed/Case-Sensitive names, and Blank Spaces (lost names recovered via hash).

Q: What are the Blank Spaces in Makoto Inoue's Dune query?

A: These represent Prepunk domains whose original names were lost during ENS contract migrations or were initially registered only by hash. Only the hash remained in the records. Community efforts have recovered many of these by finding the name that matches the known hash. Use updated Dune queries or verification tools that incorporate this recovered data.

Q: Where can I trade Prepunk domains?

A: While they can appear on any NFT marketplace, dedicated ENS platforms like Vision.io (specific Prepunk categories) are better suited. Trading also occurs OTC within communities like the Prepunk Club Discord.

Q: Are ENS domains with colored backgrounds (not the standard blue) Prepunks?

A: No. The colored backgrounds were a temporary approach by OpenSea before ENS avatars were standardized. They do not indicate Prepunk status but pre-migration era. Always verify using Prepunk Verify.

Q: What are "Chaff" names? Are they Prepunks?

A: No. Chaff names were fake/decoy names used during the initial auction bidding process to obscure the real target name. They were part of the bidding data but were never registered as finalized domains and therefore are not Prepunks.

Q: What is the exact date/time cut-off for Prepunks?

A: The generally accepted range is:

• Start: May 9, 2017 (approx. Epoch 1494328939)

• End: June 23, 2017 (approx. Epoch 1498252062) (Epoch is seconds since Jan 1, 1970 UTC)

Q: My Prepunk name doesn't show up in Makoto's original Dune query. Why?

A: It's likely a "Blank Space" name whose original name was recovered after Makoto created the initial query. Use an updated Dune query or verification tool that includes recovered Blank Space data.

Q: What is the difference between "OG ENS" and "Prepunk"?

A: According to Makoto Inoue's original definitions:

• Prepunk: Registered May 9, 2017 - June 23, 2017 (~79,720 names)

• OG ENS: A broader category, often considered names registered anytime in 2017 or sometimes later (definitions vary). Essentially, all Prepunks are OG ENS, but not all OG ENS are Prepunks. Prepunk is the specific, earliest subset.

Q: How are Blank Spaces found/recovered?

A: It involves trying to find the input string that produces the known hash. Methods include brute-forcing, dictionary attacks, checking known wordlists/databases (like preimages.js), and analyzing blockchain transaction data for clues.

Q: Why weren't names like ethereum.eth registered on day one, and why are there so many misspelled Prepunks?

A: This was due to the "scheduled soft launch" mechanism (ENS GitHub PR #105). Names weren't all available at once; they were released gradually based on their hash value over weeks/months. Only names whose hash met the current threshold could be auctioned. This meant desirable names with certain hash values (like ethereum.eth) had a waiting period. Early bidders had to target names that were actually available according to this schedule, leading them to register creative variations, misspellings, or less common words.