New top level domains - does anyone care?
 

I'm not a techie, so I am new to these waters, but...

ICANN (http://www.icann.org) is in the process of reviewing applications for new top level domains -specifically, new sponsored top level domains.

Primer:

Top level domains are the extensions at the end of domain names (.com, .net, .us, .info, etc)

Sponsored top level domains are supposed to be TLDs that serve the needs of a specific community (e.g., .museum, .aero, .coop)



Rumored applications this time around are, for example, .mobile and .tel, for mobile devices.

My question is this - do any of you care?

nope

the one that I want is .xxx that way, all adult sites can get put in there, and it makes the world a whole lot easier to sort and protect the young and innocent (if there are indeed any left).. ICAAN rejected it because they said they didnt want to "promote pornography" on the Internet.. I think ICAAN needs to wake up.. All the new top levels are just cash grabs

and the tumbleweeds roll thru...

I'm STILL waiting for .XXX ;)

I agree with losthellhound. A way to keep all pr0n related sites grouped together would be beneficial to all parties involved. As it stands now, it is too easy for people stumble across pornography in just about any TLD extension that there is. A ".xxx" TLD though would probably put companies like CyberNanny out of business though ;)

No, I don't really care.

But the .XXX idea is good.

Actually, as someone who was physically in the room when the ICANN board passed on .xxx (as well as .sex), it wasn't that they didn't want to promote pornography, it was that they were concerned about the free speech and other issues that such a TLD would create - specifically, who decides what has to be in .xxx? (after all, the system is useless as a protection against unwanted porn if porn is not prohibitted in the other TLDs). They just didn't feel equipped to deal with the issues, so they passed.

darn. Some one has Chicken.coop all ready.
FlewThe.coop is open tho

I personally dont care either. If a website isnt a .com,.net,.org I tend to think less of them...anything that comes from .info to me is subject to review.

Re: New top level domains - does anyone care?
 

That'll be cool for anyone browsing on their cell phone. It's not a bad idea. Although, it should be .mob since typing on a keyboard the size of a quarter is pretty difficult. I suppose a redirect would be in order........

Interesting news. Thanks for the post.

My thoughts exactly. Dont care, but the .xxx is a damn good idea.

Not the least bit interesting. That boom came and went.

What? you dont like my .ca ?? ;)

The only new TLD i would care about is .eu for the European Union.

Really? Why do you think that someone with a com/net/org TLD has more credibility than someone with an info/biz/whatever domain name?

It's just as easy to register in one as the other. If I can get hoowack.com (which is available - act now!) or hoowack.info, am I more credible if I get the former?

All due respect, but even though the new TLDs aren't as popular as the old ones, to treat info offered under one TLD as more credible than that offered under a different one is just plain silly.

In fact, in some cases the new TLDs should be MORE credible than the old ones. If you see a .museum site (there are few, but not many), you can be comfortable that the site is run by a genuine museum (and not, for example, someone pretending to be the Guggenheim when they aren't). Ditto for .coop (a genuine cooperative), .aero (a genuine part of the air travel industry) and it would have been true for .pro (only for licensed professionals) if it had ever launched (they still say they will.....someday). The operators of these TLDs all screen the registrants to verify that they are who they say they are and that they meet the eligibility requirements for that TLD.

Anyway, I babble.... I happen to know a fair amount about this subject, so I can get long winded about it.

One is in the works

I know, I'm waiting for this for some time already.
our cusomers already starting to bother us with questions about the .eu start.

Interesting analysis, thanks.

ICANN has announced the applicants for this round:

.asia
.cat
.jobs
,mail
.mobi
.post
.tel (twice)
.travel
.xxx

It's just a way for them to get even more money. Why? Because obviously Microsoft will buy all of the domains they currently own in the new TLDs, as will all other major corporations.

People looking for new domains (ie: if I wanted to register "marathon.travel", to write a site about marathons all around the world, I'd have to compete with whoever currently owns "marathon.com" (I don't know if that's even registered, or what it's about, but it's just an example), because obviously s/he will want to keep directing people to his site.

Thought I would follow up on this, since it was discussed.

ICANN has now approved a .xxx extension. The operator is saying it will be a voluntary system, but I don't think it will be long before attention-seeking policy makers will try to say that porn sites must be in .xxx.

ICANN announcement

Operator's web site (with FAQ-y goodness!)

Slashdot thread

Thoughts?

my only thought is how long it will be before a porn site will call themselves an art site and try to avoid the move.

Well, some are definitely more artistic/tasteful, and less hardcore sex. Like SG, for example. Some are more easily sorted than others.

Sounds like a good idea to me. All the pr0n should be .xxx imho.

So, let's say that there is legislation that all porn must be moved to the .xxx domain. Is TFP porn?

Will companies be concerned that there is a wal-mart.xxx or a burgerking.xxx?

Companies (that can afford it) will probably buy those domains to make sure they aren't used like that.

Good question, I was thinking that myself. Who would decide on such things if .xxx became mandatory for porn? Would it be only paysites? Or anyone with porn available for browsing? I would be scared of the ruling body on that one.

i care because i dont want to have to type att.mobile or att.phone.

god stick with .com and be happy

.xxx is a good idea, but they can't make a LAW that makes them use it. And you know that those asshole spyware/spam sites will refuse to use it, pretty much defeating the purpose. Then you'll have kids without web protection typing just-about-anything.xxx to get to the sites.

All i know is, when I was in high school, if there was a will, there was a way. :p