The .com domain was so 10 years ago. Now the Internet domain name system invented by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) is preparing for some competition from a battery of subject-specific domains like .love, .god, .gay and .nazi. These and other colorful domains may be headed to your Web browser soon, reports the Washington Post. If you want a .com website, you might want to look into taking out a massive payday cash advance loan, because they are running out.
All of the Internet land rush
Simple domain names like .com, .net and .org have managed to get the job done for individuals and private enterprise for a while. You can see .gov, .edu, and .mil for the public sector. That's what the domain names are for. You will find more controversial domain names around now though. These contain .nazi, .god, .muhammad and even .gay. You will find ownership problems to consider. For example, .amazon could be a problem. Who would own .amazon: the online retailer or Brazil?. By March or April, issues ICANN expects to resolve are these. Soon, ICANN will open the floor for corporations and governments to solicit their claims in what is being called the Web land rush.
How to claim
Corporations and celebrities don't have to worry too much though. Not everybody can afford the huge price that comes with a potential new domain. According to the Washington Post, it costs a whopping $185,000 to apply and $25,000 annually to maintain the domain. And if a party applies for a brave new domain with Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers and is rejected, they only get back some of the application fee.
This has online activists like Lauren Weinstein of the Los Angeles-based Individuals for Internet Responsibility up in arms. Weinstein alleged that the outrageous fees are merely a moneymaking venture for Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, and that the rainbow of highly specific domain names will trigger aggravation for trademark holders – not to mention users. Thrush is the ICANN chairman who states that .gay, .nazi or other domains have fees. There will most likely be lawsuits for the organization. That means the non-profit Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers will need the money and may also have to defend against cybersquatting in the future.
"Our job is to protect competition and give extra choices for consumers and entrepreneurs," said Thrush.
Information from
Washington Post
washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/02/06/AR2011020603940.html?hpid=topnews
Rocketboom on the horror of the domain name shortage
youtube.com/watch?v=3267Uh632XA
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