user3709: I'm very new to Namecoin and tried to to register a domain with name_new d/<name>. I received the tx and rand response which seemed normal. Later (after 12+ blocks) when I did firstupdate and it responded with an error (using windows and I think I had escape issues):
error: {"code":-1,"message":"name_firstupdate <name> <rand> [<tx>] <value>\nPerf
orm a first update after a name_new reservation.\nNote that the first update wil
l go into a block 12 blocks after the name_new, at the soonest."}

So I corrected the escape issues and reissued firstupdate:
error: {"code":-1,"message":"this name is already active"}

And then thinking maybe the original firstupdate took, escape issues and all, I tried an update:
error: {"code":-1,"message":"this coin is not in your wallet"}

I then did what I should have done first and looked up the domain name and found it exists and will expire in 188 days.
So... my questions are: 
1) Why did the name_new not inform me it was taken? The Wiki implies using name_new checks for existance:

Or check if your domain if free with the command line (the command
  line don't do the conversion) :
./namecoind name_new d/<name>


2) Does the .01 fee for name_new just disappear?

user20975: Maybe a little bit late, but for everybody who is interested, the easy command to check if a name exists is simply:
> ./namecoind name_show d/<name>

It will return some informations should the name already be registered, or it will return 
error: {"code":-4,"message":"failed to read from name DB"}

if the name doesn't exist.

3709: <p>I'm very new to Namecoin and tried to to register a domain with <code>name_new d/&lt;name&gt;</code>. I received the tx and rand response which seemed normal. Later (after 12+ blocks) when I did <code>firstupdate</code> and it responded with an error (using windows and I think I had escape issues):</p>

<pre><code>error: {"code":-1,"message":"name_firstupdate &lt;name&gt; &lt;rand&gt; [&lt;tx&gt;] &lt;value&gt;\nPerf
orm a first update after a name_new reservation.\nNote that the first update wil
l go into a block 12 blocks after the name_new, at the soonest."}
</code></pre>

<p>So I corrected the escape issues and reissued <code>firstupdate</code>:</p>

<pre><code>error: {"code":-1,"message":"this name is already active"}
</code></pre>

<p>And then thinking maybe the original <code>firstupdate</code> took, escape issues and all, I tried an <code>update</code>:</p>

<pre><code>error: {"code":-1,"message":"this coin is not in your wallet"}
</code></pre>

<p>I then did what I should have done first and <a href="http://dot-bit.org/tools/domainSearch.php" rel="nofollow">looked up the domain name</a> and found it exists and will expire in 188 days.</p>

<p>So... my questions are: </p>

<p>1) Why did the name_new not inform me it was taken? The <a href="http://dot-bit.org/HowToRegisterAndConfigureBitDomains" rel="nofollow">Wiki</a> implies using name_new checks for existance:</p>

<blockquote>
  <p>Or check if your domain if free with the command line (the command
  line don't do the conversion) :</p>

<pre><code>./namecoind name_new d/&lt;name&gt;
</code></pre>
</blockquote>

<p>2) Does the .01 fee for <code>name_new</code> just disappear?</p>
 20975: <p>Maybe a little bit late, but for everybody who is interested, the easy command to check if a name exists is simply:</p>

<pre><code>&gt; ./namecoind name_show d/&lt;name&gt;
</code></pre>

<p>It will return some informations should the name already be registered, or it will return </p>

<pre><code>error: {"code":-4,"message":"failed to read from name DB"}
</code></pre>

<p>if the name doesn't exist.</p>
