All web sites within a city?

[Volitics]

I'm wanting to put together a search engine or business directory for a city. So I'm trying to figure out the easiest and most efficient way to find all (or most of) the web sites located within a particular city.

I'm thinking that one way of doing it would be to query the registry for all domain names where the registrant had an address within that city.

Does anybody have any ideas about how I might go about accomplishing the task?

Thanks.

[piersk]

Well, firstly, do you mean websites for companies/people in a city or the city where the people who update them are, or do you mean the city in which they are hosted?

[Mordecai]

It would definately be impossible to find every one. And it would be very unlikely that you found over 50%. And if you're in a somewhat large city, I would say it'd be impossible to get that 50%.

[drawmack]

I would say the best way to find them is to set up a registry form for businesses and then edvertise on local tv and radio.

[piersk]

One point I missed earlier...

do you know how many domain names there are? Lots.

Do you know how long it would take to search through all the domain names for sites in a particular city? Lots of time.

Do you know how long it would take for domain name registrars to block your IP when you perform lots of searches against their records? Very little time at all

[vaaaska]

I've done this in a small community. The web was not the way to go. We ended up meething ALOT of people over a two month period and it was one of the funnest things I've ever done.