New rules! Anyone, anywhere can soon apply for new Web address extensions.
I could do .demopoulos for example, Berlin will be able to apply for .berlin, etc. Extensions can even contain non-English characters (i.e. more than the 37 Roman characters now allowed).
If your name is Joe Smith, wouldn't it be cool if your Website URL could be www.joe.smith??
I'm mixed on this. There are a number of issues
- Some already existing new domains like .museum, .aero, and .mobi are barely used if at all. They are big yawns.
- This will no doubt cause confusion among Internet users as well.
- Who will control new domain extensions? What if both Melbourne Australia and Melbourne Florida want .melbourne ?
- Non Roman characters in domain extensions are a STUPID idea!! Criminals will have a field day. Imagine a URL that looks exactly like the URL to your bank, but contains a perhaps a Hieroglyphic character that displays as the "o" in ".com" for example on your computer. Think advanced phishing attacks.
Overall I'm positive, but wary.
Choice is good, but it's all up to the implementation.
These new rules were approved unanimously by the Internet authority, Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (Icann) on Thursday.
More here: Biggest Expansion to Internet in Forty Years Approved for Implementation
Effective Internet Presence: Now required for success in business and life


