ICANN Board Approves Wide Expansion of TLDs 490
penciling_in writes "The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has approved the relaxation of the rules for the introduction of new Top-Level Domains — a move that could drastically change the Internet. 'We are opening up a new world and I think this cannot be underestimated,' said Roberto Gaetano, an ICANN board member. The future outcome of this decision was discussed on Slashdot a few days ago. It also seems, based on this post on CircleID from last month, that ICANN was already in preparation mode of mass TLD introductions. The new decision will allow companies to register their brands as generic top-level domain names (TLDs). For instance, Microsoft could apply to have a TLD such as '.msn', Apple apply for '.mac', and Google for '.goog'... The decision was taken unanimously on Thursday, June 26, 2008 at the 32nd ICANN Meeting in Paris."
Re:So wait.... (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Interesting reversal (Score:5, Informative)
Oh no... (Score:5, Informative)
From a technical point of view I see this as a failure. It's putting more weight on on the root name servers, how long until there are 10,000 TLDs, 100,000 of them? a million? Then there's all the people running the TLDs who may or may not have the infrastructure, technical expertise or long-term stability to properly run one.
"free market" != stable, there will be thousands of different ways to register sub-domains, some where registrations will not be allowed, some which cost excessive amounts of money and eventually whole TLDs setup to Google-bomb.
Sure it means people will be able to type in "apple", but what gives one specific company the right over a global use of that trademark name? What about "apple" print design services, "apple" car mechanics all of whom have their own trademarks in that industry.
I'm just an idealist, and would much prefer ".uk.org.mycompany.www" style domains (remember, thats how it was supposed to work in the beginning but somebody fucked up), but all I can see happening from opening up TLDs is annoyance and instability.
I'm not even going to comment on ICANN doing this for the money, capitalist pigs.
Re:So wait.... (Score:5, Informative)
Close. They will become the registRY. The registRAR must be one of the ICANN-approved ones (you can't require a non-ICANN registrar). It isn't clear from what I've read whether you can refuse to work with any registrar and make it a closed TLD. I would assume you can, though.
Re:more cyber-squatting? (Score:5, Informative)
In case anyone wants any facts (Score:5, Informative)
http://www.icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-4-26jun08-en.htm [icann.org]
Re:Why not just languages? (Score:4, Informative)
Uhm... I'm automatically redirected to google.com.ua the first time I visit Google. And it's in Ukrainian (or in Russian - it depends on your browser settings). And that's because I'm in Ukraine.
So it's working already.
Re:The end of ctrl+enter days? (Score:2, Informative)
If you enable browser.urlbar.autoFill (see about:config) then you just need to start typing and hit enter.
For me to hit /. I just hit "s [enter]"
Re:So if McDonald's wanted a TLD... (Score:2, Informative)
Re:The end of ctrl+enter days? (Score:1, Informative)
Re:The end of ctrl+enter days? (Score:2, Informative)
Sounds like you're looking for Stealther [mozilla.org], an addon which can temporarily disable saving history, form entries, caching etc, and is easily enabled/disabled.
Re:"As if the internet didn't have enough arbitrar (Score:3, Informative)
ICANN and IANA Sites Defaced (Score:2, Informative)
Re:The rich take all? (Score:3, Informative)
So, I pick a name, and McDeepPockets comes along and thinks, hey, that's a great idea - I'll just take that, thank-you. They "dispute" it, and ICANN's response is... well, if you really can't settle your differences, high bidder gets it. Wow... that's going to make for a pretty mercenary internet.
You say this as if it were a new policy of some kind... ICANN has always operated this way.
Re:The end of ctrl+enter days? (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Abuse of TLDs (Score:4, Informative)
I'm going to throw away some mod points to respond your post.
If you have something other than the ADC, or another AD integrated DNS server, acting as the primary DNS for your AD then the setup is wrong.
The correct setup is for DHCP to ONLY handle out AD integrated DNS servers to clients if there is an AD structure. Again, if you done anything else the setup is wrong.
This specifically includes moronic administrators who set the secondary DSN to an ISP on the theory that the local AD integrated DNS server will always respond faster unless it's down in which case the ISP secondary DNS will at least allow the user to surf the Internet. This is so dumb it should be criminal.
In short, the only places that would have a problem with an internet wide .local domain are places that have administrators or consultants that should be FIRED for gross incompetence.
FYI, DHCP really has nothing to do with this. You could achieve the same screwed up, or correct, configuration with static IP addressing.
Re:There will be some good from this. (Score:5, Informative)