The Magnificent Seven Domain Names
| Category: Domain Names | Date: 2003-10-23 |
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 havent been approved yet, theyve 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, its 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 theres certainly nothing to stop you from paying a company to put a name on a list which they intend to register, but thats 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 youll 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.
About the author:
Lee Hodgson is founder and owner of DomainGuideBook.com domainguidebook.com a firm which specializes in helping small businesses choose and register the best domain names for their web sites.
To subscribe to the Domain Guide Book newsletter, "Your trusted source for domain names news", just send a blank email to DomainGuideBook-subscribe@listbot.com
:To contact see details below.
lee@domainguidebook.com
http://domainguidebook.com
Misconception #1- All these names are definitely going to be available
Believe it or not, this is not true. The seven new domains havent been approved yet, theyve 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, its 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 theres certainly nothing to stop you from paying a company to put a name on a list which they intend to register, but thats 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 youll 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.
About the author:
Lee Hodgson is founder and owner of DomainGuideBook.com domainguidebook.com a firm which specializes in helping small businesses choose and register the best domain names for their web sites.
To subscribe to the Domain Guide Book newsletter, "Your trusted source for domain names news", just send a blank email to DomainGuideBook-subscribe@listbot.com
:To contact see details below.
lee@domainguidebook.com
http://domainguidebook.com
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