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ICANN Board Approves Wide Expansion of TLDs
penciling_in writes "The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has approved the relaxation of the rules for the introduction of new Top-Level Domains — a move that could drastically change the Internet. 'We are opening up a new world and I think this cannot be underestimated,' said Roberto Gaetano, an ICANN board member. The future outcome of this decision was discussed on Slashdot a few days ago. It also seems, based on this post on CircleID from last month, that ICANN was already in preparation mode of mass TLD introductions. The new decision will allow companies to register their brands as generic top-level domain names (TLDs). For instance, Microsoft could apply to have a TLD such as '.msn', Apple apply for '.mac', and Google for '.goog'... The decision was taken unanimously on Thursday, June 26, 2008 at the 32nd ICANN Meeting in Paris."
We are long overdue for a .sucks domain. It will be nice to finally have it.
Modding Trolls +1 inciteful since 1999
fuck.icann
I sincerely hope that this doesn't become too commonplace, and that .com, .net, and .org don't just get thrown out the window. Call me lazy, but I love being able to ctrl+enter, shift+enter, and ctrl+shift+enter to auto-complete .com/.net/.org respectively. Typing "www.search.google" is just more tedious than typing, "google [ctrl][enter]"
It wasn't that long ago that ICANN voted against allowing the much-requested .xxx domain. Now they want to open up to allow custom TLDs?
As if the internet didn't have enough arbitrary hodge-podge already.
Damn_registrars has no butt-hole. Damn_registrars has no use for a butt-hole.
http://slashdot.dot/
Woohoo!
I, personally, intend to try for the ".nsfw" domain.
Best Slashdot Co
Let's say Apple registers .apple or .ipod. Do they automatically get ALL of the possible domains within that TLD? If not, who controls the TLD? If .apple is a TLD, can I go to GoDaddy and register porcupine.apple? If they do control it, do they have to pay to register domains within their own TLD? Or does this deal come with free unlimited domains?
Warning: Apple/Nintendo fangirl. Likes her electronics cute & cuddly. May be rabid.
No longer the last domain available.
I hope they have good oversight...
Imagine the chaos of tlds with: .exe .dll .prg .php .c0m (or other foreign symbol for o .txt .pdf .conf .doc .txt .xls .ppt .jpg .gif .tif .mp3 .mpg .htm(l) .png ...then again slashdot could have a slashdot.slashdot domain.
"Enjoy what you're doing! If it becomes drudgery, you're doing it wrong!" - Jim Butterfield
I'd be happy with a TLD system based on language. Why do we need the com/net/org thing anyway. Lets just have something like
http://google.en/
http://google.it/
http://.name.language/
A flat DNS. Just the way it was always meant to be.
Deleted
Hmmm..let's open up the TLD's so that DNS servers will become overcrowded with useless DNS information that will quickly go out of date and throw the usability and simplicity of the current schema right out the window.
Additionally, of course, common folk will have more trouble getting a domain name for that personal website/application because the fees are going to increase exponetially.
Cash-in for ICANN - and end users lose.
This will only cause more confusion, especially to the average person.
But they get more $ out of the extra registrations, so we know why it *really* happened.
---- Booth was a patriot ----
...then ICANN has .chzbrgr?
I'm sorry, I'll show myself out now.
Tic-Tac-Toe, Global Thermonuclear War, and relationships all have the same winning move.
that should be restricted to the .con domain.
Then don't. Vote with your fingers and ummm... go somewhere else.
From a technical point of view I see this as a failure. It's putting more weight on on the root name servers, how long until there are 10,000 TLDs, 100,000 of them? a million? Then there's all the people running the TLDs who may or may not have the infrastructure, technical expertise or long-term stability to properly run one.
"free market" != stable, there will be thousands of different ways to register sub-domains, some where registrations will not be allowed, some which cost excessive amounts of money and eventually whole TLDs setup to Google-bomb.
Sure it means people will be able to type in "apple", but what gives one specific company the right over a global use of that trademark name? What about "apple" print design services, "apple" car mechanics all of whom have their own trademarks in that industry.
I'm just an idealist, and would much prefer ".uk.org.mycompany.www" style domains (remember, thats how it was supposed to work in the beginning but somebody fucked up), but all I can see happening from opening up TLDs is annoyance and instability.
I'm not even going to comment on ICANN doing this for the money, capitalist pigs.
I have .com's .net's and two different country's domains. I have no interest to waste more money on domains just because they changed the end suffix. It will all end up as a fiasco for popular suffix's like .tv (overpriced). No doubt .sex will still not be allowed. Will ICANN allow every registrar to register any .suffix or will that be restricted as well?
Take Nobody's Word For It.
I don't care if it makes the Internet work like AOL keywords. I don't care if Google, Yahoo!, et al. have to spider inf() more TLDs. I don't care if idiot corporations think they have to buy every version of .m1kr0s0ft and .msf7 out there "just in case". If we can finally get .fuck and .suck, .lol and .is.gay the Internet will finally release its full scientific potential.
More porn.
-l
P.s., Karl Auerbach did experiments showing even BIND could handle umpteen million TLDs.
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mmmm pr0n in seattle, will this be a guarantee that these hot girls from my area _really_ are from my area ?? ^_^
If you read TFA you'll see that the TLDs will cost upwards of $100,000 and are subject to ICANN approval. That cost and/or approval might be a one time thing, or it might turn out to be annual. Yes, there will be a few idiotic TLDs, but this is probably how it should've been from the beginning. I work for a university IT department and we regularly get calls from users trying to access university sites (most of which use the .edu TLD of course), except that they are trying to use .com instead. Some universities have registered .com domains to redirect to the real site to try and accommodate these people. Our department refuses to do this, and I'm glad. Many people still have the mindset that website == ends in .com and it reinforces that notion.
Arbitrary TLDs will slowly change the mindset from thinking that a URL is anything.usually-com to anything.anything. This is probably how DNS should have been from the beginning.
Take off every sig. For great justice.
"As if the internet didn't have enough arbitrary hodge-podge already."
It does - just look at Slashdot. It's hardly an 'organization' (.org), especially now that it's owned by a commercial entity (.com). Heck, it started out as somebody's personal little site.. happened to be an american (.us).
Tons more examples of current sites being on domains that they 'shouldn`t' be in, and also a lot of examples of where that is the case simply because sites change over time.
So if all of it is pretty much arbitrary anyway, then why not do away with it?
Heck, some people already have... *entirely*
For example: http://bi/
( disregard any re-direction by browser to www.bi.com ; open a shell, go ping 'bi'. If you're on windows, go ping 'bi.' or it will look for a local host)
I understand the many technical, psychological, financial, etc. reasons against this. But in terms of organization - we don't have any anyway.
For now it shant be a problem especially if the new names are expected to cost over $100,000.
I want http://www.com.dyslexia/
Jenny's got a new number! 09 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C0
http://www.icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-4-26jun08-en.htm
The Kruger Dunning explains most post on
I keep trying, but I can't get to this site. :(
Instead of letting people own/register a TLD, they should have just let people register domains in *any* TLD.
Frankly, I fail to see how this is an improvement, as opposed to (say) yanking Network Solutions' monopoly...
"Not an actor, but he plays one on TV."
And so it comes full circle. The ancient flat hosts file that the ARPAnet used way back in it's early days, the one that was abandoned in favor of hierarchical DNS because it wasn't possible to manage a flat namespace when the net was a few thousand machines, returns. What, you think the companies that insist on registering every variation of their name in every domain in existence won't insist on having their own TLD too? And we'll be back to hostnames being of the form "ford". And "fordfocus". And "focus". And "myfocus". And "myford". All belonging to Ford Motors. And the inevitable fights when Focus Magazine (a fine-art photography magazine) also wants "focus" and has the trademark to justify getting it just as much as Ford.
Siiiiiigh...
A meeting of the minds between Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft resulting in an agreement to not index these idiotic domains could kill this quick before it gets out of hand.
*Will it happen - doubtful.
Can you or I do anything about it - probably not.
But I can dream.
Anonymous Cowards get no respect.
You know, with all kinds of domain names like:
alt.binaries.go.pound.sand.up.your.ass
comp.sys.obscure.programming.language.that.only.six.remaining.bearded.men.even.remember
can.forsale.illegal.bootleg.dvds.buffy.vampire.slayer
If libertarians are so opposed to effective government, why don't they all move to Somalia?
The problem I have is with the dispute resolution system. According to Paul Twomey of ICANN (as quoted by the BBC), "[i]f there is a dispute, we will try and get the parties together to work it out. But if that fails there will be an auction and the domain will go to the highest bidder."
So, I pick a name, and McDeepPockets comes along and thinks, hey, that's a great idea - I'll just take that, thank-you. They "dispute" it, and ICANN's response is... well, if you really can't settle your differences, high bidder gets it. Wow... that's going to make for a pretty mercenary internet.
Comment removed based on user account deletion
One innocent word in a language can be an offensive word in another. For exemple, the french word for "seal" is phoque, which is pronounced exactly like you think it is.
And even in the same language, various countries will give totally different meanings to a given word. Think of "lift" -vs- "elevator", "boot" -vs- "trunk" or "crisps" -vs- "chips"...
And it can be even worse; for example, in France, gosses means "children", whereas in Québec, it means "testicles".
Comment removed based on user account deletion
Get someone who controls a TLD to set up an A (or AAAA if you have IPv6 connectivity) record for it.
ICANN and IANA Websites defaced: Zone-H.org Reports ICANN and IANA's sites defaced
By expannding the TLC to anything what is the point of having subdomains in the first place? This is basically just reselling the value of anyone who bought a .com address.
And make sure it's an IPv6 address!
Dr Superlove 300ml. I use my powers for awesome
Is that your web site on this business card, or a PGP signature? :)
Hey, I was all about opening up the TLDs back in the '80s, I worked on getting one of the first open TLDs (.dot) running under The Internet Namespace Cooperative (TINC). But it doesn't matter any more.
Because "COM" is "the" top level. Who the hell cares about "name" or "per" or the rest of the "we are not COM, but..." domains? It's too late, it's a done deal, "COM" is the top level, everything else is parochial.
So don't fight over who's going to be ".sex", people will still pay more for "sex.com", and when you say your email address is "you@yourname" you better make sure that "you@yourname.com" works as well.
Now, there will be so many TLD's that the "protect our brand" people couldn't possibly cover them all.
Maybe this could have the benefit, that instead of snatching up every possible combination, that companies would pick just a few common ones and hold their ground there. I would like to imagine that this would end disputes over TLDs, eg nissan.Fnord.
stupid and useless bullshit. My expectation is no one will ever use this shit. when I see google.com I KNOW it's a url. when I see search.google it looks like a typo
Wait until someone registers the .con TLD. http://www.mybank.con/
Give me Classic Slashdot or give me death!
Yes, I know .localdomain won't be available, but what about users and systems within local networks that tend to function on alternate (internal-only) and implied (non-canonicalized) domains?
... Under an infinite number of TLDs, this isn't reliable.
.office or .foo TLD wouldn't stop this from working, I'd prefer a lookup failure to a key mis-match when trying such a command from a machine lacking the above config.
Let's say I have a partitioned office network at the company Foo Powers. My workstation is khopesh.office.foopowers.com (which is NAT'ed). From another system within the office, I'd probably just run ssh khopesh to get there (which implies khopesh.office.foopowers.com). To log into the web server (which lives in the DMZ), I'd run ssh www.dmz and to get back to my system, ssh khopesh.office would do the trick.
There are cool SSH tricks you can do to traverse NATs; I have it rigged so that from home, I can run ssh khopesh.office and get in. This triggers an entry in my ~/.ssh/config that looks like this (the first entry fits the above example. the second entry allows me to define an arbitrary extension to trigger a proxy rule and then remove the extension inside the proxy):
Host *.office
ProxyCommand ssh proxy.office.foopowers.com nc -w 1 %h %p
Host *.foo
ProxyCommand ssh proxy.office.foopowers.com nc -w 1 $(echo %h|sed s/\.foo$//) %p
While a real
Use my userscript to add story images to Slashdot. There's no going back.
Think about mobile devices. On the correct LAN, the local nameservers always answer these queries because they're configured to be authoritative. However, when away from that LAN, a few well-placed wildcard records would create a nice honeypot.