question Blockchain vs. Tradition Domain Names

[flip]

Hello,

I do not yet understand 100% the difference between blockchain and traditional domains. Can anyone clarify the following points?

• Assuming that blockchain domains will be supported in browsers some day, who decides who the owners of top-level domains (TLDs) is? .crypto as a TLD example is not listed in the list of available TLDs that are centrally managed. Say ICANN will award the .crypto domain to a registrar, this registrar can sell .crypto domains which will be shown in a browser. What happens then with the domains you sold on the blockchain?
• How has been decided that only Unstoppable Domains can sell .crypto and ENS can sell .eth domains on the blockchain or would it be possible that also other entities sell them? What happens if another person or entity sells the same .crypto domains on the ethereum blockchain? Is that possible?
• How is it guaranteed that each domain is unique across the internet (at the moment ICANN guarantees this), across different blockchains and across a single blockchain like ethereum? What would prevent me to sell an existing .crypto domain on the ethereum blockchain or wouldn't that possible at all? Wouldn't it be possible to sell existing .crypto domains on another blockchain than ethereum so that the same domain exists multiple times on different blockchains?
• As far as I understand, it depends much on the support of blockchain domains within the existing system controlled by ICANN including the browser support. Say there are different browsers or versions of browsers and a Chinese browsers supports blockchain domains on the NEO chain and Chrome browser on the Ethereum chain. The owners of the domain example.crypto are different in the NEO vs. Ethereum chain. This would mean that the Chinese browser version would resolve to a different location than the Chrome browser. Does I understand that correctly.

For me it seems that the blockchain domains are a lot of hot air without the support in browsers and / or by ICANN. Only the .ETH domain extension might be useful within the Ethereum blockchain to map it to Ethereum public addresses.

Could anyone clarify my points?

Thanks so much,

Philip

 

[lock]

IP addresses have limited numbers block chain gives a lot more possibilities. That isn't an explanation but with every device made now using a ip.

 

[HotKey]

Some really good questions, flip. Welcome to NamePros.

I would like to see some more light shed on your points, too. Your point on potential TLD collisions between ICANN and the chain is very possible. And then the browser resolution of the same TLD in multiple chain types, that's a good one. I really don't want to be relegated to using plug-ins, constantly changing my DNS, or a proprietary browser to solve this.

A good example for TLD cross-contamination has already occurred, look at the Handshake top-level domain NFT/ and then Unstoppable Domain's .nft, I don't know what happened there. It does seem show one thing, either the chain is off to a bad start in terms of namespace respect, or, it doesn't really matter if there are the same TLDs on the chain as it would with ICANN because they could never actually share the same name resolution system.

Gas fees can play a huge important role in our chain domain management ability too. Especially with Ethereum, it is to the point of you can basically do nothing with your domains. Though they are coming out for a fix for this soon. Handshake transactions are based on Bitcoin.

@Johnny Wu @Unstoppable Domains @Synozeer @James Rayers

 

[flip]

@HotKey: Thanks for sharing your opinion. It seems to verify my thoughts.

I really see some very good blockchain use cases but it is still by far too user-unfriendly (interfaces are too complicated and as you say no user wants to install browser plugins), gas fees are by far too high (originally this was a key argument to use the blockchain for transactions rather than banks) and it is also too slow (some bank transactions are instantaneous while on the blockchain it sometimes takes ages - depending on the case of course).

I also got some feedback from Unstoppable Domains: "Regarding if ICAAN release a .crypto TLD, which isn't guaranteed, we would aim to buy it. But there is also a few reasons why they may never release it, and that is to do with causing confusing." Well, but what happens when ICANN decides to delegate the .crypto domain to a different provider?

Regarding the TLDs used on blockchains, I understand it in a way that anybody can create contracts for them on the blockchain so that there might be collisions - also because there is no central consensus that enforces uniqueness. However I am not sure if that would be really true. If the same blockchain domain (e.g. domain.crypto) exists twice on the ethereum chain for example and is mapped to 2 different ethereum addresses, which one would receive the coins in case of transactions.

What would prevent me to copy an existing NFT, to setup my own contract on the blockchain and pretend that my NFT is the original? At the end this conflict would need to be solved in the real world which will be quite difficult when changes in the blockchain are permanent.

I don't understand how it is guaranteed that a NFT (e.g. a TLD like .crypto or .forever) is unique on the blockchain and not a copy. Or does there exist some mechanism to prevent this?

Questions over questions

 

[SamFin]

Hello,

I do not yet understand 100% the difference between blockchain and traditional domains. Can anyone clarify the following points?

• Assuming that blockchain domains will be supported in browsers some day, who decides who the owners of top-level domains (TLDs) is? .crypto as a TLD example is not listed in the list of available TLDs that are centrally managed. Say ICANN will award the .crypto domain to a registrar, this registrar can sell .crypto domains which will be shown in a browser. What happens then with the domains you sold on the blockchain?
• How has been decided that only Unstoppable Domains can sell .crypto and ENS can sell .eth domains on the blockchain or would it be possible that also other entities sell them? What happens if another person or entity sells the same .crypto domains on the ethereum blockchain? Is that possible?
• How is it guaranteed that each domain is unique across the internet (at the moment ICANN guarantees this), across different blockchains and across a single blockchain like ethereum? What would prevent me to sell an existing .crypto domain on the ethereum blockchain or wouldn't that possible at all? Wouldn't it be possible to sell existing .crypto domains on another blockchain than ethereum so that the same domain exists multiple times on different blockchains?
• As far as I understand, it depends much on the support of blockchain domains within the existing system controlled by ICANN including the browser support. Say there are different browsers or versions of browsers and a Chinese browsers supports blockchain domains on the NEO chain and Chrome browser on the Ethereum chain. The owners of the domain example.crypto are different in the NEO vs. Ethereum chain. This would mean that the Chinese browser version would resolve to a different location than the Chrome browser. Does I understand that correctly.

For me it seems that the blockchain domains are a lot of hot air without the support in browsers and / or by ICANN. Only the .ETH domain extension might be useful within the Ethereum blockchain to map it to Ethereum public addresses.

Could anyone clarify my points?

Thanks so much,

Philip

Do you think my domains - work4ether, jobs4ether, etheronlinemarketplace have value ?

 

[flip]

@SamFin: It is the wrong thread for your question but to answer: Your domains are in my opinion worthless even if they are .com domains. Most (even good) crypto domains are just parked and not used. I think there is much more offer than demand - especially for mediocre domains. Sorry.

 

[jamesau]

Great questions and I'll do my best to answer them.

Assuming that blockchain domains will be supported in browsers some day, who decides who the owners of top-level domains (TLDs) is? .crypto as a TLD example is not listed in the list of available TLDs that are centrally managed. Say ICANN will award the .crypto domain to a registrar, this registrar can sell .crypto domains which will be shown in a browser. What happens then with the domains you sold on the blockchain?

Clashes are inevitable. If you believe Bitcoin is part of the future, then clashing domain names is part of that future. If .crypto is issued by ICANN then that will likely be the default for most browsers. There is no easy way to foresee how these clashes will be dealt with, but it is clear they will exist and so a solution will present itself.

How has been decided that only Unstoppable Domains can sell .crypto and ENS can sell .eth domains on the blockchain or would it be possible that also other entities sell them? What happens if another person or entity sells the same .crypto domains on the ethereum blockchain? Is that possible?

If I wanted to I could create a project called Spectacular Domains on Ethereum and create .crypto, .eth and even .com. An NFT/domain is only unique per project (in this case per Ethereum smart contract). The key is adoption. Only a few projects will be adopted by the mainstream.

How is it guaranteed that each domain is unique across the internet (at the moment ICANN guarantees this), across different blockchains and across a single blockchain like ethereum? What would prevent me to sell an existing .crypto domain on the ethereum blockchain or wouldn't that possible at all? Wouldn't it be possible to sell existing .crypto domains on another blockchain than ethereum so that the same domain exists multiple times on different blockchains?

This is not guaranteed. There is a very likely future where multiple domains like example.crypto exist on many different blockchains and many different smart contracts. Again it comes back to adoption. It may be that users choose a certain browser to visit certain websites.

As far as I understand, it depends much on the support of blockchain domains within the existing system controlled by ICANN including the browser support. Say there are different browsers or versions of browsers and a Chinese browsers supports blockchain domains on the NEO chain and Chrome browser on the Ethereum chain. The owners of the domain example.crypto are different in the NEO vs. Ethereum chain. This would mean that the Chinese browser version would resolve to a different location than the Chrome browser. Does I understand that correctly.

Yes it sounds like you have a good understanding already. Most likely if ICANN created .crypto that would be the default. I would just reiterate point 2 that actually the domain could exist hundreds of times on Ethereum but just in different projects (contracts). The browser would have to specify which exact contract it wants to search for DNS records.

 

[HotKey]

The browser would have to specify which exact contract it wants to search for DNS records.

Thanks for the comments.

I've always been a fan of using the "f-slash" (/) with Handshake domains to set them apart, and it just looks so cool on a top-level.

If the f-slash was defined by the browser to identify Handshake domains, could something like TLD/ into the url bar be good enough specify the protocol/contract?

 

[NameFu]

Hello,

I do not yet understand 100% the difference between blockchain and traditional domains. Can anyone clarify the following points?

• Assuming that blockchain domains will be supported in browsers some day, who decides who the owners of top-level domains (TLDs) is? .crypto as a TLD example is not listed in the list of available TLDs that are centrally managed. Say ICANN will award the .crypto domain to a registrar, this registrar can sell .crypto domains which will be shown in a browser. What happens then with the domains you sold on the blockchain?
• How has been decided that only Unstoppable Domains can sell .crypto and ENS can sell .eth domains on the blockchain or would it be possible that also other entities sell them? What happens if another person or entity sells the same .crypto domains on the ethereum blockchain? Is that possible?
• How is it guaranteed that each domain is unique across the internet (at the moment ICANN guarantees this), across different blockchains and across a single blockchain like ethereum? What would prevent me to sell an existing .crypto domain on the ethereum blockchain or wouldn't that possible at all? Wouldn't it be possible to sell existing .crypto domains on another blockchain than ethereum so that the same domain exists multiple times on different blockchains?
• As far as I understand, it depends much on the support of blockchain domains within the existing system controlled by ICANN including the browser support. Say there are different browsers or versions of browsers and a Chinese browsers supports blockchain domains on the NEO chain and Chrome browser on the Ethereum chain. The owners of the domain example.crypto are different in the NEO vs. Ethereum chain. This would mean that the Chinese browser version would resolve to a different location than the Chrome browser. Does I understand that correctly.

For me it seems that the blockchain domains are a lot of hot air without the support in browsers and / or by ICANN. Only the .ETH domain extension might be useful within the Ethereum blockchain to map it to Ethereum public addresses.

Could anyone clarify my points?

Thanks so much,

Philip

Your last paragraph wraps it up well enough. Just consider that some day there may be a decentralized DAO based browser that uses blockchain domains someday. It may or may not happen so don't hold your breath. I think it's very possible anyway.

 

[flip]

Thanks so much for your feedback. I thought I was missing something but now it is clear.

I would just reiterate point 2 that actually the domain could exist hundreds of times on Ethereum but just in different projects (contracts).

That's the key point for understanding about which I was a bit unsure.

Just consider that some day there may be a decentralized DAO based browser that uses blockchain domains someday.

Very interesting idea. Netscape -> IE -> Firefox -> Chrome -> Brave -> DAO Browser? That could be definitely a game changer – also when content is stored decentralized in IPFS

Thanks again for the detailed clarifications!

Philip

 

[Sebastien Staub]

Hi Phil this will help https://learn.namebase.io/about-handshake/about-handshake

Also check this

 

[Global Rebrander]

I think legacy domain registrars will have to buyout the TLD already on the blockchains before they can start registering. Note: most registrars have already bought most probable domain extension they might issue in future like 1,2,3,4 letter domains, all dictionary words, city and country names, surnames etc which are already reserved on handshake. The legacy registrars just have to accept the convention and buyout the TLD on the blockchain. With the income they have, I don’t see any problem here. They just have to accept the blockchain is better way to be a registrar and be a big part of it and they already are