New Web .whatever addresses ??

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

Comments

[Andy Piper]

I have to agree that this is going to cause confusion. I guess people will adjust, gradually, but this is rich territory for new disputes and general lack of clarity. We'll see how it develops.

[Jeremy Bloom]

Great post Ted. I agree mostly with the idea that this whole thing is just confusing, and it is somewhat silly this is happening when extensions like .mobi never took off.

The legal profession will definitely be making 10x the money just settling more trademark issues. And we might even see people fighting in the streets over things like www.joe.smith.com. Just like joesmith.com, everyone named Joe Smith will want to have that.

It's nice to have options, but I don't think people don't really care, and companies shouldn't want to have to buy yet another domain name just because it is their trademark.

[T Demop, Blogging for Business]

Hi Andy,

Rich territory indeed! Probably some big business ops as well. Chances to make as well as lose fortunes :)

[T Demop, Blogging for Business]

Thanks Jeremy,
The legal profession, not my favorite, will have a field day (disclaimer: many of my friends are lawyers! It's the system, not the people).

And I imagine companies like IBM buying ibm.everything possible.

[Pete]

I think these domain extensions will be good for some.

But most clients can't remember a .net after you tell them three times! .com also has that url panache and yes if you are clever you can find a good url by using the stream of consciousness tool instantdomainsearch.com

.com .com .com for business

I still have trouble telling folks about del.icio.us (and typing it :)

[T Demop, Blogging for Business]

Pete,

I Think you're right on.

Friends of mine have RaleighDesign.us -- and I've been getting it wrong for years! I usually type in .com or .net withour thinking . . .