The internet just got a lot bigger, in July the internet corporation for assigned names and numbers (ICANN) approved a plant that broadly expands the number of top level domain (TLDs), which for now have been restricted to few choice designations.
Then organization approve two major proposals, the first would allow virtually and combination of to 64 characters to be used of non-Latin characters, such as mandarin, to be used to designate TLDs.
Both proposal will create an essentially unlimited number of domain name permutations, such as pcmag.zd or Intel.inside, instead of just the .com .org, or .gov designations that are commonly used today, ICANN says it has already receive interest in a .nyc domain for New York City, among others.
The new domains would be know as ccTLDs, although approval for these measures has yet to be finalized, that should take placed by early 2009, with new domains becoming available by the second quarter of 2009.
The potential here is huge, it represents a whole new way for people to expert themselves on the net, and it’s a massive increase in the real estate of the internet.
Finally, ICANN also approve a rule limiting domain name tasting, a practice that same say abuse the five-day grace period, ICANN allows at the beginning of a domain’s registration, firms have been know to buy the domains in bulk, run test to determine which ones, if any would be profitable and then return the rest for a full refund.
The extreme expansion of domain names could have a significant impact in a few ways; the first is that it could force companies to spend millions to defend themselves against “cybersquatters” more over a trademarked web site will not be automatically reserved, according ICANN, second the additional domains would assure the creation of an internet red light districts, with x.x.x or .sex domain opening up under the new plan, although ICANN can reject domain names on moral or indecency grounds.