The death of domain name

**pixelman** · 08-24-2002, 09:18 PM

Domain name system has been around for many years and has been used as a unique Internet address. And it even creates the secondary domain market for us.

However, do you think the domain name system will be replaced by a different naming system, so the users won't need to memorize any domain name (which has so many extentions such as .COM, .NET, .ORG, .INFO, .BIZ, and over 50+ ccTLDs)?

I think Realnames.com was trying to do this but succeeded at a very small extent.

**Omni** · 08-24-2002, 09:22 PM

Nope don't think so, going to be a lot of effort changing habits of millions of ppl. Not to mention how dramatic the effort might be on businesses online - think branding and seo

**mole** · 08-25-2002, 12:12 AM

Less than 10% of the world's population is connected to the internet. There's still a long long way to go before we see the end of the URL. There will, however, be alternatives like keywords, MULTs and other URL alternatives outside the A-root that will continue to try their luck.

For .info and .biz I estimate that 2004 will be the year in which critical awareness will begin to top with the people who matter - the industry leaders, big web developers, the internet consultants.

For those who haven't been following developments, .biz and .info were only effectively launched away from all that sunrise fraud and legal battles in March and June this year. Hopefully, these gTLDs can now really start pulling themselves into credibility with the industry watchers.

2004-2010 will probably be the prime years for .info and .biz. Beyond that, I suspect the URL may be replaced as the primary protocol. Just my opinion.

**DomeBase** · 08-25-2002, 09:27 AM

for my two cents --

technology will change, but language will endure

means by which people exchange things and information via the net will be different by 2010... but there will still be language involved

keyboard/mouse as prime method of human-computer interaction will be on decline by then... too limited, unnatural, and too many movement-related injuries... look for voice recognition and 3-D/gesture interfaces

but don't worry... language and names will have a role for many years

08-25-2002, 09:35 AM

websites by their nature need a unique means of identification, just like telephone numbers do. there seems to be little need to replace one system of unique identifier that has such widespread adoption with another.

if you think about it, the domain name system is amazingly efficient with the way the delegations work - its effectively a business type/location marker and a character string that can be chosen for its memorable properties. hard to see how you can improve on that.

**mole** · 08-25-2002, 09:59 AM

Originally posted by safesys
websites by their nature need a unique means of identification,

I agree. Read the latest Neustar newsletter. It makes sense, like it or not.

"Narrowcasting the 'Net
The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) recently approved seven new generic Top Level Domains in order to narrowcast the Internet more efficiently. These new domains will assist in categorising sites more effectively, making it easier and more secure for people to find the information they want. Previously, legitimate businesses, personal home pages and everything else all shared the same domain allocation and space on the Internet.

The lack of Internet order makes it difficult for users to verify what type of site they are visiting. The new domains help separate businesses, personal sites and other sites into distinct Internet regions. They include dot-biz, for companies conducting business on the Internet; dot-info, to provide an appropriate area for information; dot-name, for personal names and sites; as well as dot-pro, dot-aero, dot-museum and dot-coop.

Also, the release of the country-specific dot-us domain offers European businesses a means of targeting the American market more appropriately for the first time. All of the new purpose-specific domains are intended to ease the transition from today's undefined, parameter-less Internet into the business, communication and entertainment medium of choice for the future. "

08-25-2002, 10:13 AM

not really anything to like or dislike, its just marketing hyperbole with no basis in anything tangible.

I don't think you need to be a rocket scientist to figure neustar have a vested interest in convincing the world at large (and hopefull speculators/developers) that their way is the best way.

**mole** · 08-25-2002, 10:18 AM

ah - the Ostrich with its head in the sand syndrome

08-25-2002, 10:23 AM

no ostrich has ever been witnessed with its head in the sand - its just a myth - how appropriate

**mole** · 08-25-2002, 10:36 AM

I was just looking for a domain, and I thought I saw literal.org with your name on it

**Omni** · 08-25-2002, 10:38 AM

Originally posted by mole
I was just looking for a domain, and I thought I saw literal.org with your name on it

who's name?

**mole** · 08-25-2002, 10:39 AM

The one who likes safe thinking

**DomeBase** · 08-25-2002, 10:40 AM

no one has ever been seen surfing the net or dropping a name

**Omni** · 08-25-2002, 10:43 AM

That's not safe's name last time I checked/asked

**deist** · 08-25-2002, 11:39 AM

Even if the Internet becomes a 3D virtual world, you're still going to need words to find things - whether you say it or type it in. Because there is more than one company or site with the name XYZ out there, there will need to be some way to distinguish between them. I know of nothing that could be simpler or more elegant that XYZ DOT EXTENSION.

**DomeBase** · 08-25-2002, 11:55 AM

Originally posted by deist
Even if the Internet becomes a 3D virtual world, you're still going to need words to find things - whether you say it or type it in. Because there is more than one company or site with the name XYZ out there, there will need to be some way to distinguish between them. I know of nothing that could be simpler or more elegant that XYZ DOT EXTENSION.

I agree. People first wrote words with chisels, stone and clay, then with quills and paper, then with pens and paper, now with little magnetic bubbles, in the future with...?

...technology changes, but language endures

**Omni** · 08-25-2002, 11:56 AM

Unless they implant some sorta stuff at the back of someone's head or something and use images instead... sounds like mission hard to get

**Fearless** · 08-25-2002, 10:53 PM

They couldn't even get us Americans to accept the metric system.

.com is here to stay.

**izopod** · 08-25-2002, 11:18 PM

These are my previous thoughts on this subject (made a couple of days ago on the "Guns.com" thread.)

Originally posted by izopod
We will still have domain names into the foreseeable future IMHO. Just as we have been using phone #'s for over 6 decades, instead of an alternative. It's in our nature to think we will finally realize our true potential technologically speaking, but with costs nowadays being so high for "risky" ventures--the thought goes, if it ain't broken don't fix it. It's why microsoft keeps adding lines of code to their OS, insteading of scrapping it every 5 years for a "better OS". It's why we had the y2k problem (the programmers in the 60's thought we'd be onto new things--save money). It's why we weren't "flying around in saucers" on 1/1/2000.

My guess is they will enhance domain names instead of scrapping the system. They enhanced placing phone calls by having "speed dial, etc". Enhancing domain names could be trickier but I am betting on us have voice capabilities (after you've entered a web site). Much like you do now with calling your credit card company to check your balance. You dial a #, then use voice activated features of their system to navigate their menu.

just my .02

izopod

Note: Voice Recognition systems have a LOOOOONG way to go before they are even close to perfect. Let a lone trying it out on the internet. The reason: People would have to use "proper" english. Unfortunately we have a "living language", meaning new words pop up frequently. That is why I think we will STILL have to type in a domain name to get to a web site, then either use voice features or continue to "point and click". Those (needing) or (wanting) to surf the net without being heard (porn, inserting CC #s, etc, etc) will probably opt to "click N' type"----

**Who-Wiz** · 08-29-2002, 11:59 PM

Some interesting things I've read lately:

On different naming systems than TLDs:
Open Root server Configuration (ORSC)
http://www.open-rsc.org/

This whole New.net movement sounds like such a good idea, but its also a little irksome to me. I think it causes more headache than solutions and freedom.

On Voice Recognition Surfing:
TellMe Networks
http://studio.tellme.com/ (1.800.555.TELL)

Talking about controlling the web with your voice... this is a very nice technology. I like the fact that for movie tickets, it uses your phone number to automatically suggest an area range. Hooking you directly into a website's content and control with VoiceXML.

Danger.com - HipTop
http://www.danger.com/products.php

This is a slick little product. I personally can't wait until browsing the web is an unqualified afterthought... as ubiquitous as finding a restaurant or maybe how finding pay phones USED to be (before cells got so popular). I think products like this help to move browsing to the next level.

~ Dudley