Frogans Market

[onspec]

Hello and welcome to Frogans Market, the first namePros thread dedicated to showcasing the people and technology driving adoption of Frogans technology - the newest member of the internet.

FULL DISCLOSURE: I own Go*Frogans.com and may make reference to that site. Use your discretion when contemplating participation or registration of Frogans names and Frogans networks.

I'll also preface this by addressing what I believe one of the most difficult things for hardcore Domainers to wrap their heads around - that there are actually are other internet systems beyond email and the world wide web.

The domain community can be very polarized and hard-wired (bull-headed) about how they view the internet namespace. Those differences both enhance and detract from the broader acceptance of new technologies. There will always be die-hard .com devotees, new gTLD aficionados, ccTLD pundits and everything in between. I only ask that you keep and open mind. No one is suggesting that you to jump on the bandwagon.

Some 30 years ago there were a few early adopters who risked some time and resources to invest in the emerging phenomenon known as the internet and the domains that got us from IP addresses to websites. Some of them profited, and continue to profit handsomely. And given the current confusion in the market, that may or may not happen here.

Like it or not, new technologies will be introduced that could dramatically impact the way that people create and share content on the internet. Undoubtedly the incumbent technologies dominate, but that can change, and perhaps quicker that we might think.

Frogans addresses are similar to TLDs in that there is a naming convention that enables access to websites. Currently, a second level domain to the left of the (dot), and a TLD to the right of the (dot) gets you to your desired website.

Frogans uses Frogans addresses to get you to Frogans sites using a new naming convention.

Frogans addresses are made up of 2 parts - a Network Name followed by the asterisk "*" character ending with a Site Name. It looks like this:

Network Name * Site Name​

Frogans sites require a free downloadable Frogans Player in order to access Frogans sites.

Once you have a Frogans Player you can access Frogans sites. A few examples are:

• frogans*beaches
• frogans*storivoire
• frogans*trump

These are examples of Frogans public sites. All Frogans public sites must start with the Network name "Frogans" followed by the "*" and then the site name. These are similar the regular domains you register at your favorite registrar. You pay an annual fee for the use of the site name.

The other option is to register a Network name, the name or string of characters to the left of the "*". One of the things that immediately attracted me to Frogans was this:

If you own the Network name, by definition you own ALL of the site names to the right of the "*".

For example, if you own the Network name NewYork, you also own:

• NewYork*city
• NewYork*taxi
• NewYork*pizza
• NewYork*888
• NewYork*tickets
• NewYork*tours
• NewYork*hotels
• NewYork*xyz
• NewYork*domains
• NewYork*any-name-or-string-you-can-think-of-up-to-28-characters

And yes, you can keep them all to yourself or... sell them for a price that you determine. Think along the lines of Verisign or any other domain registry. Frogans networks are more expensive annually, but also potentially more lucrative.

Navigate to the short video here to learn more about the basics of Frogans and/or to register your first Frogans name or Frogans network.

There is a lot more to this story. So take a look. Keep an open mind. Join the conversation. Add value and perhaps even profit. Your call.

Feel free to follow us on Twitter at GoFrogans.

Cheers,

 

[JB Lions]

Watched the video, don't really see the point and then this is the killer:

"Frogans sites require a free downloadable Frogans Player in order to access Frogans sites."

Having to download some player to access a Frogan site.

Think there was something recent discussed here that was something like this.

Then I watched, Frogans sites in action. At the end, I see a green shoe, somebody clicked Fire and it turned red. Have no idea what's going on. Is that what constitutes a site?

 

[onspec]

Hey JB, thanks for the response.

You're right. Anytime an end user is asked to do 'this' before s/he can do 'that' is a pain in the ass, frustrating and increases the chances of losing them forever.

Unfortunately there is no shortcut to accessing Frogans sites. You must have a Frogans Player. The best we can do at this early stage is to keep identifying the potential benefits and opportunities. I understand that today's early adopters are primarily millennials that have an attention span shorter than a gnats ass. That presents challenges. But I also understand that it took several years before there was widespread adoption to registering and understanding the value of domain names.

That specific example you noted, "The Frogans Sites in Action [video without audio] is not the best to illustrate Frogans, especially since there is no context regarding the fact that Frogans is new, requires some spadework and may or may not be for everyone.

It has its own language. It needs its own player. It has its own vernacular. It is difficult for most people to get their head around. It... (enter your favorite objection)

A new, emerging technology trying to coexist with the 800 lb. internet gorilla we all know and love will take time.

For that, I'm happy to be an early adopter.

Cheers,

 

[JB Lions]

What is it bringing to the table that doesn't already exist? The "sites" just look like interactive graphics. Even the player is just meant for developers at this point.

"It is difficult for most people to get their head around."

Another big problem.

 

[onspec]

You raise a good point, one that I discussed with the namePros mods before even thinking of introducing this thread. And that is, IF Frogans technology should even be included on a forum that is exclusively domain specific. To that end they recommended that we start in the niche domain section and see where the community leads us. If the members feel that Frogans technology should not share space here, we'll abide by their decision and pitch our tent elsewhere.

On the other hand, if the members do see potential and value, then we're also happy to coexist.

Part of what it (Frogans) is bringing is the fact that any Frogans site renders the same on all devices. There is no need for separate coding for different browsers, screen sizes, operating systems, devices etc.

That particular feature may not mean a lot to many savvy namePros members that are well-versed in website development, but to millions of people that want to create and distribute content, especially those in areas of limited bandwidth or with limited skill sets, it can make the difference from being on the net or not.

Recall that Frogans sites are not made to compete with internet websites, but rather to coexist. If users want websites, fill yer boots. If user want to look at alternatives, Frogans is an alternative that can fill that void.

Again, it's about choice. Participation here in no way denigrates current Domainer interests and no one is being forced to join the party.

Cheers,

 

[onspec]

JB - "It is difficult for most people to get their head around." Another big problem.

Again, I agree. We acknowledge there are obstacles and challenges. That's part of what makes it fun.

We accept that it will take time.

This is a marathon, not a sprint. We are not trying to boil the ocean overnight.

The founders of Frogans Technology started this over 18 years ago. One has to believe that they also recognized that they would face many obstacles.

Let's continue the dialogue and see how things play out.

Cheers,

 

[PhC]

If I may jump in:

I know a few things about Frogans tech for having worked with the non-profit that is developing it as an open standard of the Internet.

Frogans tech is a little tricky to comprehend in part because it is currently in alpha version. Progress has been made in the past year or so and more will happen until the beta version is released.

Existing Frogans sites are basic

Most of the Frogans sites that are already out, like the ones featured in the video, are demos of the fact that Frogans sites are free form: whereas 100% of Web sites are rectangular, Frogans gives designers the possibility to create online sites that look like actual objects (shoes, bottles, watches, keys, you name it). The idea is that increased creativity is good for online communication.

Future Frogans sites will be more complex

Beyond their particular shapes, Frogans sites are hosted on a server somewhere and can be dynamically generated from any data source with php, .net, java, or any server-side script you like.

In short, you can use Frogans to develop a new user-friendly, user-safe online service/presence. It will cost you less to develop and maintain because you'll only need one version for all devices and platforms.

Happy to chat further.
Phil

 

[Domaniak]

Watched the video, don't really see the point and then this is the killer:

"Frogans sites require a free downloadable Frogans Player in order to access Frogans sites."

Having to download some player to access a Frogan site....

Actually, not any different from the WWW, where you also need to download "some player" - a browser!

I see much bigger issues:

(1) it's a microscopic, test bed niche that is unlikely to break through the threshold necessary to gain any serious following;

(2) seems it's just an alternative addressing system to the WWW, that doesn't really bring anything revolutionary to the table, sufficient to motivate content publishers to jump on the bandwagon as an alternative to the WWW.

(3) the WWW is a world wide standard, adopted by all countries and supported by all major IT stakeholders. Unless somebody really major, like, say, China's government, or Microsoft, enthusiastically jumps on this bandwagon, they will nip this on the bud if ever there's any semblance of "danger" of this becoming mainstream. Summing up: a dead end tunnel. Sorry

 

[onspec]

Thanks for contributing Phil.

It's great to see that you're a new member and chose to chime in on the Frogans Market thread.

I have been in the domain namespace for 17 years and a namePros member for over 14 years (yikes!), and I too find Frogans tricky to comprehend and navigate. But I'm learning...

Frogans sites' inherent characteristic for increased creativity is intriguing. Although the sites you mention are for the most part demo sites, there are a few live sites starting to emerge. Frogans Directory is a good resource to see how the space is developing.

Similar to how many emerging countries (technically speaking) leap-frogged access to the internet via mobile, its entirely possible that these same emerging countries will grasp, and potentially lead the development of Frogans sites. Phillipe Collin and Laurent Ferrali of the OP3FT conducted a seminar in Africa and summarized their experiences in this video. Starts around the 2:00 minute mark.

I see huge upside potential for the Frogans Market. Early adopters such as GinkIT are among the leaders in helping to simplify the registration and management of Frogans addresses and networks. Feel free to hit me up if you'd like more information.

Cheers,

 

[onspec]

Hi Domaniak.

In response to your points:

I see much bigger issues:

(1) it's a microscopic, test bed niche that is unlikely to break through the threshold necessary to gain any serious following;

I concur that it is currently a microscopic test bed, at least in the domain and internet mainstream that is globally accepted and ubiquitous today.

I would question, though I don't totally disagree, that it is unlikely to break through the threshold to gain any serious following.

How can one be certain of the level of penetration of the OP3FT's initial global outreach and marketing efforts? As I understand, a great deal of those initiatives have focused on technical and niche market aspects of the Frogans Technology. If you have the chance to really dissect the enormous amount of work the OP3FT has accomplished over the past 18 years, you may see that on a 24-hour timeline continuum, we may be at the .88 second mark in the lifecycle of this new layer of the internet.

Think about it. Among other things, Frogans technology has/or will introduce(d):

• A new descriptive language (FSDL)
• new syntax rules composed of a new address pattern (IFAP) and composition technical standards (FACR) resulting in a new naming convention Network name * Site Name
• ability to read Frogans addresses from right to left and left to right. Try that with .com or any top level domain. This alone opens access to the internet to billions of people who might otherwise not have even tried to become globally connected
• 10 linguistic categories that were available day 1. Compare that to how long it took ICANN to introduce Internationalized domain names (IDNs)
• secure safety features the render malicious content and malware nearly inconsequential

Those are some of the key points. I'm sure that an OP3FT representatives would be able to do this topic greater justice.

(2) seems it's just an alternative addressing system to the WWW, that doesn't really bring anything revolutionary to the table, sufficient to motivate content publishers to jump on the bandwagon as an alternative to the WWW.

You hit the nail on the head - Frogans is an alternative addressing system. And it requires a free, downloadable Frogans Player. Yes, we know we'll lose a ton of potential users...

In terms of revolutionary, people can see the above, and other documented information and decide for themselves. What might not seem revolutionary to millions of savvy internet users, may in fact be quite revolutionary to billions of potential new internet users, a large majority that fit into those linguistic categories currently underserved by mainstream TLDs.

(3) the WWW is a world wide standard, adopted by all countries and supported by all major IT stakeholders.

Agreed.

It is also worth noting that from a standing start in 1985 when the very first domain name was registered, Symbolics.com (Kudos! to owner Aron Meystedt), it has taken over 30 years to get to the current level of internet user penetration. Given phenomena such as Moore's Law, artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things, I would hazard a guess that the rate of worldwide adoption of Frogans will occur significantly faster that the WWW.

Unless somebody really major, like, say, China's government, or Microsoft, enthusiastically jumps on this bandwagon, they will nip this on the bud if ever there's any semblance of "danger" of this becoming mainstream.

TheOP3FT has made, and as I understand, continues to make progress introducing Frogans technology to the Chinese. To date, a total of 13 Frogans Dedicated Networks (DFNs) have been registered in the Chinese dialect. That's over 10% of the 127 total current registered DFNs.

I have no way of knowing if any of those registrations are from the government of China, but it is encouraging to see that initial level of participation.

Does this represent some level of danger? I suppose it's possible.

It's also fair to ask - does this represent significant potential to become mainstream? Only time will tell.

BTW - Is Amazon "really major"?

They were one of the first companies to jump on the Frogans bandwagon and registered their network name during the registration period for trademark holders.

Here's what a portion of the Frogans whois looks like.

It is possible that Amazon registered their name strictly as a defensive mechanism.

Note that they registered their network name in 2015. Hmmm.

But...

... might they be savvy enough to be looking into the future?

Remember, if you own the network name to the left of the asterisk, you also own ALL of the site names to the right of the asterisk. Could it be that Amazon is planting the seeds for further global retail domination?

Think about the potential of delivering highly customized, personalized offerings to billions of people who may have never even heard of Amazon:

• Amazon*Shoes
• Amazon*GirlsShoes
• Amazon*GirlsShoesCongo
• Amazon*GirlsShoesCongoBeni
• Amazon*GirlsShoesCongooBeni-LisaJ-287492

Look, I have no way of knowing what Amazon is thinking. But I have to believe that with Jeff Bezos' track record, he didn't tip his toe into Frogans new layer of the internet because he had nothing better to do.

Summing up: a dead end tunnel. Sorry

Domaniak, no need to feel sorry (that's reserved for us Canadians). You just may be right.

Cheers,

 

[PhC]

Hi Domaniak,

My two cents on your points:

(1) it's a microscopic, test bed niche that is unlikely to break through the threshold necessary to gain any serious following;

Yes, there are currently few transactions.

Now, out of 4-billion Internet users, who does NOT want (or need) a tech that allows access to content in a way that is safe (secure end-to-end communication, no virus, no malware, respect of private data), user-friendly (tech disappear behind content) and universal (works on all devices no matter the OS, the screen size or the bandwidth)?


(2) seems it's just an alternative addressing system to the WWW, that doesn't really bring anything revolutionary to the table, sufficient to motivate content publishers to jump on the bandwagon as an alternative to the WWW.

Frogans is actually a lot more than an addressing system. To name a few differences:
- Frogans sites can have any shape or form
- Frogans sites look exactly the same on all connected devices
- Frogans sites work on any bandwidth conditions
- Frogans sites never run any malicious scripts
- Frogans sites are respectful of user data
- Frogans sites and addresses are natively available in any language
...

Beyond the particularities of the sites themselves Frogans is an open standard that is independent from all big players. The relationship between publishers and users is more balanced and is enforced by a clear legal framework called FTUP (Frogans Technology User Policy).


(3) the WWW is a world wide standard, adopted by all countries and supported by all major IT stakeholders. Unless somebody really major, like, say, China's government, or Microsoft, enthusiastically jumps on this bandwagon, they will nip this on the bud if ever there's any semblance of "danger" of this becoming mainstream. Summing up: a dead end tunnel. Sorry

That would be true if Frogans was a threat to the WWW. But there is no reason that current IT stakeholders don't make money with Frogans. Actually, the first Frogans addresses that have been registered seem to indicate that a large variety of players are interested in the new standard.

To go further, feel free to check out the web site called Frogans-Addresses.com and the Frogans site called Frogans*Addresses.

Cheers,
Phil

 

[onspec]

Frogans launches SDKs that can be used with these programming languages: PHP, Java, C#, VB, and Node.js.

 

[onspec]

Go*Frogans outlines reasons why a collaborative manifesto could leverage past experiences when introducing new technology to the internet in Prelude to a Manifesto.

Take a look.

Cheers,

 

[onspec]

Here's a look at a Frogans site in action. For a more detailed look check this out.

Recall that these sites are designed to work in harmony with web sites, not replace them.

Cheers,

 

[onspec]

Newly registered Frogans sites:

Frogans*Alliance - network holders can join the club

Frogans*TV - get the popcorn

Frogans*Beer - who wants a cold one?

Frogans*Names - hundreds of great ones available for early adopters

Frogans*Sites - take a look

Cheers,

 

[onspec]

Frogans*Poker recently registered.

Join the game...