Good question! Whatever the original rationale, what is the point currently
in having all these fine distinctions, most of which are either meaningless
or which apparently not many people grasp anyway? Guess it does create more
potential business for folks like GoDaddy and their ilk since they can urge
that one buy multiple combinations of the same name, e.g. georgebush.com,
georgebush.net, etc.
What would happen if a given domain name could only be used with only one
domain type, like .com OR .org, but not both? Would this create more
problems than it might solve (such as less cost, less time, less
complexity)? Currently registered domain names could be grandfathered in
and ample notice could be built in to apprise people of this change. Either
this or perhaps simply the categories and maybe only have, say, 3 or 4
mutually exclusive, clearly distinct domain categories or whatever the term
is, so that everyone is clear (or much clearer) what each category is for
and thus should include? Distinctions without differences just create
confusion, unnecessary cost, complexity and inefficiency; though a few
always benefit from this.
And while we are at it, why not this: Every legal citizen would ( at birth
or whenever this would be implemented for everyone else) be automatically
registered with one domain based on their legal name, with some unique
identifier to distinguish identical names. All domain names based on the
name of a person would be required to use the unique identifier (whether
middle name and/or an added number or symbol, etc.). It would then be
illegal for anyone to use the unique domain name associated with another
person (with possible exceptions, such as parents doing this for minor
children) in any combination (.org, .com, etc.) without their explicit,
written permission.
Aside from militating against possible adverse outcomes, such as
cyberpoaching, this could also serve several positive, desired societal
goals. For one, encourage and help facilitate closing and crossing the
digital divide. Going forward, most people might be expected to have their
own personal website, to be used and useful to them in any number of ways,
including ways currently unforeseen, as new technologies and thus new
possibilities emerge. Just a thought. Sure a lot of laws would have to be
changed and lot of details worked out, but looking for now at the overall
idea. It would be voluntary, of course, if people wished to use their
domain name to have a website.
Randall
Randall
----- Original Message -----
From: "Janaki Kuruppu" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, October 08, 2007 9:07 AM
Subject: Re: [CGUYS] Grabbing domain names of well-known persons?
On 10/7/07, Tom Piwowar <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
>I also sort of assumed that .org meant a real nonprofit. Otherwise,
various
>unscrupulous outfits and organizations might simply pose as being
>non-profits. Could have the equivalent of, say, Microsoft.org
Today anybody can get an org TLD. When the registrars went commercial any
effort to enforce qualifications went out the window. The only thing you
can't buy is gov and mil.
so, can i ask, what's the point of all the different domain extensions at
this point? is it like the propagation of area codes for phone lines
because of the popularity of fax machines? if i register a domain name,
does it matter if i use .net or .org or .com or .name, etc etc etc. in
fact, looking on godaddy - it seems like i could buy a domain name with a
.co.uk extension, and look as though i was located in England...
also, in addition to .gov and .mil isn't .edu restricted - only
educational
institutions can own those??
janaki
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