FYI: Image Online Design Supports Creation of New Top-Level Domains ".Web Registry Ready to Compete Now, Registry is Only Immediate Competition for .Com" SAN LUIS OBISPO, April 27, 2000 /PRNewswire/ -- Image Online Design, Inc. (www.iodesign.com), The .Web Internet Domain Registry today announced its support for the creation of additional Top-Level Domains for the Internet, agreeing with the Names Council of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) in its call to add new Top-Level domains as soon as possible. "The goal is to create competition for .Com," said Image Online Design CEO John Frangie, "Right now, there is only one new registry operational and ready to compete with .Com, and that is our .Web Registry." Image Online Design participated in the working group chartered by ICANN to examine the possibility of adding new domains to the Internet. That working group found that consensus existed for their creation, and recommended that six to ten new domains be created. The Names Council, a group responsible for forwarding the report to ICANN, agreed with the consensus to add new domains, but urged that the number be small and carefully managed. "While we feel that six to ten was the best number, the fact that new domains have broad support is very encouraging," added Frangie. Image Online Design has had an operational registry for .Web since 1996, when the discussion about adding new domains began. Image Online Design has proposed that its .Web registry be added as competition to Network Solutions' (NSOL) .Com monopoly. The .Web registry could make use of the existing legal and procedural infrastructures that already are in place for .com. Programmers for Image Online Design are now completing testing on the Registry-Registrar Protocol that is currently in use by all .com registrars. "We are prepared to provide the exact same services that are available with .com now," added Frangie. The Names Council indicated that a proper starting point would be the creation of both "open" as well as "restricted" top-level domains. "We feel that our .Web registry is the clear choice for the open aspect of the initial roll-out of new domains," said Image Online Design Founder, Christopher Ambler, ".Web is the longest-standing pioneer registry, and is the only registry that is currently operational and in a position to compete with .com right now." Image Online Design plans to release a position paper on Tuesday, May 2nd, detailing its support for adding new Top-Level domains, and presenting a plan for adding new domains in a stable and measured manner. The .Web Registry is currently online and available at http://webtld.com. About Image Online Design, Inc. Founded in 1995, Image Online Design, Inc. is the pioneer registry for Internet Domains ending in .Web. Beginning operations in 1996, The .Web Internet Domain Registry went online at the urging of the Internet Assigned Numbering Authority, the predecessor to ICANN. Initially expected to be a proof-of-concept prior to the addition of new domains in early 1997, the registry has been continuously operational during the 4 years of debate that has framed the governance of the Internet. With registrations from over 75 countries worldwide, Image Online Design and The .Web Internet Domain Registry are the leader in pioneering and prospective new top-level domain registries. .Web, and The .Web Internet Domain Registry are trademarks of Image Online Design, Inc. Respectfully, Jay Fenello, New Media Strategies ------------------------------------ http://www.fenello.com 770-392-9480 Aligning with Purpose(sm) ... for a Better World ------------------------------------------------ "If we want to change the world, we have to begin by changing ourselves" -- Deepak Chopra
