Y Yahoo Can’t Be Y.com

[Whois-Search]

Yahoo has filed to register Y.com as a trademark, but whether it will ever be able to use the single-letter domain isn't known.

The Search Engine Watch forums have been bantering about the recently disclosed registration of Y.com as a trademark by Yahoo:

http://forums.searchenginewatch.com/showthread.php?threadid=7777

Though it would be a major marketing coup, it doesn't seem likely under existing ICANN policy that Yahoo will get to be Y.com online.

In 1993, Jon Postel registered all the single letter domain names he could with IANA as the owner. The intent seems to have been to insure the continued functionality of the domain name system, as noted in this May 2000 email requesting the k.com domain:


Some years ago, Jon Postel in his capacity as IANA reserved these domains because in his judgment doing so would contribute to successful operation of the domain name system for all users. Like other pre-existing IANA policies, this policy is being continued under ICANN management until such time as a policy proceeding conducted under our organizational structure and Bylaws comes to the conclusion that these domains should be treated in some other manner.

Under the .com TLD, three single-letter domains that were already registered before Mr. Postel could register them are now owned by these firms:

• Q.com (Qwest Communications)
• X.com (PayPal)
• Z.com (Nissan)

Until ICANN decides to put the remaining single letter .com domains up for sale, Yahoo and other companies that have trademarked those domains may not ever be able to use them online. The prevailing corporate wisdom seems to be that an existing trademark would negate the potential for paying seven figures or more for a single letter domain in the open market.

Source: http://www.webpronews.com/insidesearch/insidesearch/wpn-56-20050914YYahooCantBeYcom.html

 

[DNjet]

interesting read , thank you.

 

[slavahosting]

does yahoo really need y.com?

I'm sure yahoo.com brings plenty of traffic to the site.

Seems like waste of legal fees IMHO

 

[David G]

...Seems like waste of legal fees IMHO

I am sure Yahoo and other big players do not care in the slightest about legal fees since they either have in-house attorneys or outside firms on flat fee retainers so the legal work costs them in effect nothing. It's tax deductable anyway even if they paid extra.

 

[Keynes]

does yahoo really need y.com?

I'm sure yahoo.com brings plenty of traffic to the site.

Seems like waste of legal fees IMHO

Yahoo's traffic could certainly use a boost... :cheeky:

 

[007]

Just wait until Google wants on board with g.com lol!

I think single character .com's aren't really what they are cracked up to be.. After all, how many people are going to forget how to spell yahoo? When it's a few characters difference I don't think it makes a big difference in marketability, if any.

Yahoo is a big enough name. If they switched to y.com, I would still find myself typing in yahoo.com. It's simple, easy, and unforgettable.

Y.com... why? :-D

 

[Domagon]

I see a big opportunity for the person/company who owns WHY.com ... they could soon be receiving much extra Yahoo-intended traffic LOL!

Ron

 

[Rubber Duck]

Just wait until Google wants on board with g.com lol!

I think single character .com's aren't really what they are cracked up to be.. After all, how many people are going to forget how to spell yahoo? When it's a few characters difference I don't think it makes a big difference in marketability, if any.

Yahoo is a big enough name. If they switched to y.com, I would still find myself typing in yahoo.com. It's simple, easy, and unforgettable.

Y.com... why? :-D

It is the cachette of the single letter domain! There are only 26 English single characters out there. Their value runs much along the lines of two and three letter domains. It is down to rarity. There is value in the singularity itself.

Of course for most of us even if they are ever released for registration, they are going to be well beyond the reach of most of us. Even Yahoo feels that the Y may be unattenable, which is why they are pursuing trademarks.

Of course, single characters are available through IDN. I think they will be very valuable too. In Chinese most surnames are single character, so the potential there is quite obvious.

With regard to Google they are already branding on the single character with gmail.

Best Regards
Dave Wrixon

 

[QuantumBeam]

wonder Y


:laugh:

 

[Focus]

I hope they get it, choke on it, turn blue, and croak... k:

 

[greggish]

Another brilliant example of how large companies use the trademark system to reverse hijack domains they want. In this case Yahoo is attempting to reverse hijack a domain they don't even know who owns it yet. Absolutely brilliant! You gota love the legal system and all the wonderful ways it can be corrupted by those who have enough money to do it.

 

[EM @MAJ.com]

Y.com will be additional marketing tool for yahoo.... y.tv owned by fma.com

 

[slavahosting]

yahoo.com is more easily marketable then y.com for the masses.

 

[DogFaceBoy]

I think Y.com is just a waste to buy. They get enough traffic already .

 

[Domagon]

From what I recall E.com was accidently allowed to be registered several years ago ... well, needless to say, the IANA got word of the registration, and quickly corrected that leaving no remnants of the registration mistake behind by rolling back the Whois data.

Point is that single character domains have long been vigorously protected from registration; I suspect, even now, they will NOT allow such domains to be registered any time soon, partly as a tribute to Postel who passed away several years ago.

Ron