In domain nomenclature, two character dot coms, like 8o.com, are collectively referred to as CC.coms. For the most part, they are the shortest dot coms available on the internet, which gives them a kind of uniqueness and cool-factor that appeals to computer people with math backgrounds (like myself), web designers, domainers and, of course, companies.
Ranging from 00.com to zz.com, there are only 1296 (36x36) two character dot coms in total, and even fewer on the market. With an estimated 100 million dot coms already registered, this makes them a rare asset of sorts. In addition to their scrarcity, CC.coms can be brandable and many receive a steady stream of traffic.
The traffic is inherent due to the fact that character combinations, like '8o', can be used to describe many products and entities, so for this reason and others, they can get typed into the browser and search engines quite frequently. Furthermore, CC.coms can attract curiosity seekers; People will sometimes look them up, just to see what's there.
Of the CC.com subgroups, the two-letter, LL.com, and two-digit, NN.com, are the most desirable - a fact that is reflected in the price tag. The next in line, in terms of desirability, are the letter-number combinations and the number-letter combinations.
8o.com - the site you're currently visiting and will no doubt leave soon due to boredom - is part of the latter group, collectively referred to as NL.coms. There are 260 NL.coms in existence, ranging from 0a.com to 9z.com. There are an additional 260 LN.coms, which generally cost more than their NL.com counterparts, and I'm fortunate enough to have one of those as well. :)
The aforementioned and other factors, such as limited supply, have combined to increase the value of the CC.com over the years. Due to the fact that most have been developed out - usually by corporations and large online entities - they're becoming increasingly difficult to acquire.
This, of course, means fewer are becoming available to individuals, like myself. If you're able to find an owner willing to part with one, you can expect prices to begin at $10000 US and go much higher, depending on quality.
NL.coms can be chosen for brandability, intrinsic traffic generation or both. An NL term like '3G' meets both specifications. It's already branded, and as such, gets searched a lot. A term like '2A' gets searched often but wouldn't be as brandable.
'8o' fits more into the brandability category. I prefer it because it rolls off the tongue, has an association with the 80's and is the shortened term for 8 o'clock. In addition, the number '8' is associated with luck in China which, in turn, has given it more favor amongst westerners, like myself. There is also the loose association with oxygen, which has atomic number '8' and chemical symbol 'O'.
At present, I'm not entirely sure what I'm going to do with this site, but it will more than likely be a code and design portal. Until such a time, which shouldn't be too far away, this hastily written, long-winded composition will have to suffice. :)
By the way, if you're using Windows, these pages are best viewed through a Safari Browser with the Quartz Engine running. On a Mac, it shouldn't matter. Under all circumstances, high pixel density (ppi) is preferable. Text-based webpages simply don't look right on any other setup.
This web space has been thrown together from scatch pretty quickly. Over time, I'll endeavour to improve things.