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"The Magnificent Seven Domain Names"
By: Lee Hodgson
Since the identity of the seven new domain names (dot biz, dot info, dot name, dot coop, dot aero, dot pro, dot museum) were announced on the 16th November, there has been much speculation and confusion surrounding
them. This article is intended to help clear up a few of the most common misconceptions that, judging by my mailbox, have spread faster than the latest Win32 virus:
Misconception #1- All these names are definitely going to be available
Believe it or not, this is not true. The seven new domains haven't been approved yet, they've just been granted further discussion and
negotiation with ICANN. In other words, all that has happened is the original field of 47 has been reduced to seven. If you like, a short-list has been produced. If the companies in question cannot come to agreements
with ICANN over the implementation of the new domains, they will not be granted a license to operate them, it's that simple. Furthermore, ICANN does not implement names. It only recommends them to the U.S. Department of
Commerce.
Misconception #2- These names are available now!
Not true. There is not a company on the planet that can register one of these names for you at the moment. How could they? There have yet to
be any agreements made which will dictate exactly where these names can be registered, how someone will qualify to register one, and something which has been almost forgotten: how much it will cost to register one of
these names. For example, it has been reported that the operators of dot biz want to charge $2000 for new registrations.
Misconception #3 - These names can be pre-registered
Well there's certainly
nothing to stop you from paying a company to put a name on a list which they intend to register, but that's really all they are doing. Where is the value in that? There are hundreds if not thousands of lists around the
Internet, many of which will contain duplicate names, and most of these list owners are no more likely to be able to register a name than you are yourself. I reported in the September 4th edition of DEMC that you should
beware of pre-registration companies that take money in advance, and a couple of weeks ago, the FTC put the same advice on their website: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/alerts/domainalrt.htm
The pre-registration game is like a good
old-fashioned gold rush. You might get lucky and strike gold, but 99 times out of 100 you'll end up with nothing.
Misconception #4 - Anyone will be able to register these names
Of the seven domains
announced, it seems likely that only dot info and dot name will be available for anyone to register. Others are going to be used for specific organizations, and you will have to supply appropriate documentation when
submitting an application. For example, dot pro will only be open to qualified professionals, though what exactly defines a professional, and what stops professionals selling these names to non-professionals are
interesting questions.
Misconception #5 - These names will be available soon.
It is expected by the end of the year negotiations between ICANN and the selected companies will be complete. But then
there will be a gap before any names can be registered. Registration systems have to be set up and tested fully. Most industry insiders do not expect these new names to be available until well into the middle of 2001,
some may be delayed even further.
Misconception #6 - These names will relieve the pressure on dot coms
If ICANN intended to relieve the scarcity value of dot coms with their selections, then they have
made a very poor set of choices. With restrictions placed on all but dot info and dot name domains, there is no one name that stands out as being a good dot com alternative. If ICANN had selected dot web or dot shop
then things might have been different, but for the foreseeable future, dot com will remain the only dot name in town.
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If you have any questions about the seven new domain names, please email me lee@domainguidebook.com or visit the DomainGuideBook site,
http://www.domainguidebook.com
to keep up to date with the latest happenings in the domain name world. |
