http://www.Curtis-M-Kularski.info
|
|
|
INFO, NAME, PRO, AERO, MUSEUM, BIZ, and COOP -- The New TLDs The Internet has come a long way, and the new TLDs help mark it. The Internet is quickly running out of both names and numbers for hosts and websites on the Internet. For the names part, the new Top Level Domains; for the numbers problem, IPv6 (see IPv6 article). These additions are being added to prolong the life of the Internet as it is now, but these are serious changes and could impact the way the Internet operates. There are probably over 100 active TLDs recognized by most parts of the Internet. The most common TLDs are called gTLDs (General Top Level Domains). The gTLDs are .COM, .NET, and .ORG. Next there are the ccTLDs (Country Code Top Level Domains). The ccTLDs include CC, WS, TV, FM, US and many more (see IANA.org for full list). The new TLDs will be added to the gTLDs. The new TLDs will be implemented slowly to help avoid crashing the Internet. BIZ and INFO are currently (July 2001) the only new TLDs accepting pre-registrations, the rest are due in the near future. The INFO registry will officially begin operations in late August, and BIZ will follow in October. I and the rest of the Internet's more technically-minded people are anxiously awaiting these new options. Once the new TLDs are in place and functioning, they will become as commonplace as the current gTLDs (not speculation, I have seen (and am on) the pre-registration list. These new TLDs are like noting ever witnessed by the Internet population before, everything as we now know it is going to change; such as the address of your favorite website, e-mail addresses, and anything Dot-Com. All of my websites that are on .COM domains that aren't commercial sites will be moved to new TLDs as soon as the applicable TLDs are finalized and released. The table shows some of the changes that you can expect to occur with most sites that don't belong on .COM:
I along with almost everyone else plans to keep an overlapping time frame with the new domains, so that all links, search engines, business card, and everything else can be changed over and no one will get a "No Server Found" or "404" error. Some more selfish administrators may decide to keep both domains permanently, causing yet another clog, but if ICANN continues to add more TLDs it will become too costly for those greedy admins. Most people that aren't technically minded are scared and think this is just going to confuse them even more, it really shouldn't. This should make things easier. ICANN is still planning to add more new TLDs after these are installed, to help keep the load down, so we won't have this problem ever again. One TLD that was proposed, but not accepted during the selection process this time, is .XXX. The idea of a .XXX TLD scared the ICANN Board and members of ICANN@Large committee. The groups thought that it would promote more inappropriate material being placed on the Internet. In my opinion; the XXX TLD, with some accompanying legislation could make the Internet a safer place for kids and teens. Filtering a search engine database to remove links from a specific TLD is easier and more accurate than using a keyword filter alone. Many good things on the Internet are suppressed in schools, libraries and homes where filtering software is in place, simply because the intelligence engine behind it all, isn't that intelligent. At some point, if XXX does make it into the gTLD system, there is the posibility that some ISPs will allow users to connect to a specific server, one that doesn't even check for ZONE updates (see my How the Internet Works article) from .XXX, therefore blocking it completely. If enough TLDs are created, the Internet can be more efficient with searches and things of that nature. My favorite among the new TLDs is .NAME, it allows individuals to be able to get a domain name that contains their name, without having to fight companies. In the establishment statements (availible at ICANN.ORG) for NAME, one of the primary things that their company believes in and probably what got them selected to operate the TLD, is that they will not allow any entity other than an individual register a domain in the NAME TLD. The only thing that I feel is a negative for this TLD is the way in which they plan to manage SLDs (Second Level Domains). In their plan, I could register Curtis.Kularski.name, but not Kularski.name; and Kularski.name would only be used in the event that someone wanted to register an @Kularski.name e-mail address. I think that the registry should allow the SLDs to be delegated to certain people. I am the official operator of my family's website and I would like to operate it as Kularski.name, and possibly issue my own MX records to provide e-mail accounts as I want, and not how they want. If you are interested in registering a domain in a particular New Top Level Domain, keep an eye on the ICANN website to see when the registry goes live, they normally update the website about once or twice per week. If you want an INFO or BIZ, you may pre-register them now. Pre-registration is not a guarantee that you will get the domain, but it will help your chances. Registering with several pre-registration services is also a good idea. You should avoid pre-registration sites that require you to bid for your domain. If you have been thinking about getting something trademarked or otherwise protected, now is a perfect time, you only have until September to get your IP (Intellectual Property) protections in place for the new TLDs. _______________________ http://www.NIC.biz - Official Registry and
Network Information Center of BIZ |
Curtis M. Kularski |
