Firm wants to rid Net of suffixes - Threat to domainers or publicity stunt?

[Virgil]

They could be just trying to call attention their way, but interesting reading, anyways.

Firm wants to rid Net of suffixes (Reuters)

A Dutch technology company, UnifiedRoot, has breathed life into a project to rid the Internet of suffixes such as .com, and instead offer single names which can be countries, company names or fantasy words. (Handout/Reuters)Reuters - A Dutch technology company has breathed life into a project to rid the Internet of suffixes such as .com, and instead offer single names which can be countries, company names or fantasy words.

Full Story (Yahoo! news)​

 

[Peter]

I personally don't think it would be achievable as there would be a major limitation on the possble names that could be bought.

 

[faisj]

I find it strange that they dont even have a phone number:

http://www.unifiedroot.com/corporate/contact

 

[Momo]

Heh, this is definitely just a publicity stunt IMO

 

[CrazyTech]

Publicity stunt without a doubt - maybe a little wishful thinking as well.

 

[dyaimz]

This almost certainly won't work.

There used to be the Open Root Server Confederation (www.open-rsc.org - now defunct it seems). The only part which still functions is the Atlantic Root www.adns.net

The point is this was a confederation of various companies offering a vast selection of TLDs. This was working OK until ICANN allowed the .biz TLD, a TLD that was already available from ORSC.

Before this, ORSC servers routed ICANN approved TLDs as well as their own, but after the decision ORSC servers had to choose which .biz TLD to resolve.

Initially the ORSC stuck to their own .biz, the original one, but eventually they resolved the ICANN .biz so as to gain more acceptance from ISPs.

UnifiedRoot say, "To avoid conflicts between TLDs from UnifiedRoot and ICANN, the Dutch company will not register existing ICANN TLDs" but how can UnifiedRoot have any confidence that ICANN won't create more TLDs that conflict with theirs, as they did with ORSC's.

Also, it's hard to see what TLDs United think they will offer. New.net already offer an assortment that are largely available originally from ORSC. & the ORSC model shows us that we can create any TLD we fancy as long as it doesn't previously exist & we have the servers to run it.

Ultimately ppl will pay for what they have confidence in & you only have to see how long it's taken for .biz to gain acceptance compared with .com amongst companies & internet users in general to see what I mean.

 

[Dave_Z]

I guess they've no problem getting rid of their own domain name, then. :hehe:

 

[.X.]

I guess they've no problem getting rid of their own domain name, then. :hehe:

Good point davezan, It will never happen,Publicity stunt at it's best.

 

[sjp]

Alternative root servers are nothing new. I'm not opposed to them, but unfortunately I don't think they'll ever catch one. Or maybe that's "fortunately" from a domainer's perspective as a hugely increased TLD supply probably lowers the value of domains in general.

 

[Sparky2002b]

roflk, bad idea.

All the people sharing an extention but one word will have to fight for who owns the domain. IE - freeipods.com .net .org, etc x_x

 

[dgridley]

Dutch Want To Get Rid Of .COM

A Dutch technology company has breathed life into a project to rid the Internet of suffixes such as .com, and instead offer single names which can be countries, company names or fantasy words.

Such a system, which enables countries, individuals and firms to have a Web address consisting of a single name, offers flexibility and is language and character independent.

"The plan is to offer names in any character set," said Erik Seeboldt, managing director of Amsterdam-based UnifiedRoot.

UnifiedRoot offers practically unlimited numbers of suffixes, unlike the short list of suffixes currently in use. Its offer is different from other "alternative root" providers such as New.net which offers to register names in front of a small range of new suffixes, such as .club and .law.

"We've already had thousands of registrations in a single day," said Seeboldt after the official opening of his 100-strong company which has installed 13 Internet domain name system (DNS) root servers on four continents.

for more: http://news.com.com/Dutch+tech+firm...3-5972183.html?part=rss&tag=5972183&subj=news

 

[Masahiro]

The Dutch... Always full of crazy ideas.

I personally do not see this system working, but then, who knows?

 

[dgridley]

I love the idea but there can only be one root system.. if no one uses the alternate root, it can't work!

The Dutch... Always full of crazy ideas.

I personally do not see this system working, but then, who knows?

 

[wildbest]

I find it strange that they dont even have a phone number:

http://www.unifiedroot.com/corporate/contact

http://www.unifiedroot.com/corporate/pressroom

 

[primacomputer]

Just another splinter faction of the all but defunct *root movement (insert your favorite word at the *, ie “unified”, “united”, “public”, etc) A perfect example of why such systems invariably fail. It's so easy to set up and run. As soon as there's a minor disagreement people run off and set up their own system. And of course release some regurgitated PR which far too many sheep accept as gospel.

 

[wildbest]

Like I've predicted in another discussion thread just a week ago...

What UnifiedRootth is suggesting is a very simple and truly democratic way of switching into ICANN-free Internet. In the beginning it will operate in parallel with ICANN and inevitably will show that the Web can do just fine without parasites like ICANN and VeriSign. In fact, major ISPs in every country will need to re-configure their own DNS settings. That is all and it is sooooo simple! It is a very elegant solution and very easy to apply. Moreover, it will allow all Web segments to be accessed by every user.

It is your choice to use:
1. the Internet controlled by ICANN i.e. the US government;
2. the independent Internet that is based on a simple, direct, logical, and intuitive Internet addressing system, enabling governments, businesses, ISPs, and individual Internet users to enjoy an easier user-friendly approach to locating information on the Web;
3. both Internet segments;

If you claim your major value is freedom, I can not see a single reason why do you oppose this approach and this innovative project?
BTW, they register hundreds of domains every day with a $1000 value each! Obviously, people feel the potential of the project and the snowball is rolling...

 

[primacomputer]

Like I've predicted in another discussion thread just a week ago...

How can you “predict” something that's been going on for years?

Public/United/Unified root have been touting this service for a couple years now. They all make the same claims, including claiming the same customers, and are all run by people who at one time worked together. Now they are all running around making their own incompatible systems hoping to cash in on fools willing to pay $1,000 for a name that less than one percent of the world can access.

What you did actually predict is that the “ EU, China, Japan, India, Korea, Russia, Brazil, and many other countries” were going to force the US to hand over control of the root servers, which as well all saw didn't happen.

It's easy enough to blame the media for picking up any story off the wire that looks juicy and printing it verbatim. But at the end of the day it's each individuals responsibility to research outlandish claims for themselves. Anyone who is familiar with public-root knows exactly how much BS that story is. Anyone who isn't could learn all they needed to know in five minutes on Google.

 

[wildbest]

...What you did actually predict is that the “ EU, China, Japan, India, Korea, Russia, Brazil, and many other countries” were going to force the US to hand over control of the root servers, which as well all saw didn't happen...

Wrong again... putting words in my mouth I've never said! You should take more time reading opinions you try to comment!

I have never said that countries you mentioned "were going to force the US to hand over control of the root servers". As you can see, UnifiedRoot is doing their job without forcing anybody to hand over control of the root servers. In the other thread, you have stated that "US major trade partner will back them" (US to keep control of root servers)... and I have just asked you who are US major trade partners? Because countries on the list above are very firm about their understanding of who should control the root servers! Obviously, your understanding of major trade partners are countries like Iraq?!

 

[wearenotabot]

it is called the .sol ext

 

[primacomputer]

Prediction:

There will be another DNS system created outside US and away from VeriSign's greedy hands and under UN jurisdiction

What really happened:
The world agreed to let ICANN continue to manage the root servers. No UN controlled DNS was set up. Some scammers introduced yet another alternative DNS and made outlandish claims that only a few fools believed.

After that I would ask you what major US trading partners will back Bush administration to control the root servers? I will ask you that, because EU, China, Japan, India, Korea, Russia, Brazil, and many other countries all are firmly standing on the grounds that control should be handed over to ITU

What really happened:
The major US trading partners, and pretty much everyone else in the world agreed to let ICANN continue to manage the root servers. The ITU got bupkis.

Some people continued to believe that this means GW Bush controls the Internet (which was invented at CERN a full 20 years after it was actually created) This is understandable considering they have trouble reading their own “predictions” from less than a month ago.