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Certain domainers like to equate their names to digital real-estate. "A good .com" is often referred to as "an oceanfront property" while most other names are viewed like sub-standard housing - or trash. Assuming you've experienced an oceanfront property, the waters tend to be beautiful; while the insurance considerations are a bit different than what you'd have living more inland. However, one would imagine oceanfront property owners see proximity to the water as THE major draw. The ocean functions as the value while the changing tides represent fluid utility.....until they rise too high. If only we could say the same for domains.
Needless to say, every centralized domain has the same utility - not oceanic per se but more like running water. Example.com functions exactly like example.org - they're simply under different management. Albeit, one uses a more popular TLD; but they both max out at website addresses, email accounts and redirects. We've yet to see the ICANN-governed TLD that pushes beyond the boundaries. Then again, .locker and a few others are working to break the mold. It remains to be seen how their journey will unfold; but I'm rooting for them to succeed. Not because they're GTLDs; but because they have ambitions that weigh the future just as much as the past.
Back to the oceanfront properties though......
The tides are changing for .com and other centralized extensions - a lot of which is due to the Blockchain. Some domainers might denounce that last statement - but it's true nonetheless. Just ask the folks behind Ethereum/ENS (The Blockchain Network). They shared technology that enables centralized domains to be used as crypto wallet addresses. We all know where crypto sits on the adoption spectrum - so it's impossible to say the function isn't relevant. GoDaddy knows it and allows customers to enable the crypto wallet ID function right from their dashboard. Does this utility add to the oceanfront value narrative or does it detract from because of its proximity to the Blockchain? After all, Blockchain stands to benefit THE PEOPLE and .com is more of a corporate/business thing.
Before we can decide, let's consider another notable utility bump: Thunderbolt By Spaceship.
Spaceship opened the door for a utility bump that'll arguably make domains more appealing to everyday people. Their Thunderbolt endeavor has given .com domains and others the ability to be used in place of phone numbers. Although not entirely part of blockchain technology, it has its ties. You'd merely have to know what Spaceship and NameCheap have been up to on the decentralized side to see the full vision. The question remains though: Do utility bumps like crypto wallet IDs and Thunderbolt add to, or detract from, the oceanfront property narrative in domaining? Better yet, are ALL centralized names eligible to be considered oceanfront property since neither of the utility bumps referenced benefit a single TLD?
Regardless of YOUR answer/bias, it can't be denied that innovation from outside the space is a tide capable of lifting all boats.
Needless to say, every centralized domain has the same utility - not oceanic per se but more like running water. Example.com functions exactly like example.org - they're simply under different management. Albeit, one uses a more popular TLD; but they both max out at website addresses, email accounts and redirects. We've yet to see the ICANN-governed TLD that pushes beyond the boundaries. Then again, .locker and a few others are working to break the mold. It remains to be seen how their journey will unfold; but I'm rooting for them to succeed. Not because they're GTLDs; but because they have ambitions that weigh the future just as much as the past.
Back to the oceanfront properties though......
The tides are changing for .com and other centralized extensions - a lot of which is due to the Blockchain. Some domainers might denounce that last statement - but it's true nonetheless. Just ask the folks behind Ethereum/ENS (The Blockchain Network). They shared technology that enables centralized domains to be used as crypto wallet addresses. We all know where crypto sits on the adoption spectrum - so it's impossible to say the function isn't relevant. GoDaddy knows it and allows customers to enable the crypto wallet ID function right from their dashboard. Does this utility add to the oceanfront value narrative or does it detract from because of its proximity to the Blockchain? After all, Blockchain stands to benefit THE PEOPLE and .com is more of a corporate/business thing.
Before we can decide, let's consider another notable utility bump: Thunderbolt By Spaceship.
Spaceship opened the door for a utility bump that'll arguably make domains more appealing to everyday people. Their Thunderbolt endeavor has given .com domains and others the ability to be used in place of phone numbers. Although not entirely part of blockchain technology, it has its ties. You'd merely have to know what Spaceship and NameCheap have been up to on the decentralized side to see the full vision. The question remains though: Do utility bumps like crypto wallet IDs and Thunderbolt add to, or detract from, the oceanfront property narrative in domaining? Better yet, are ALL centralized names eligible to be considered oceanfront property since neither of the utility bumps referenced benefit a single TLD?
Regardless of YOUR answer/bias, it can't be denied that innovation from outside the space is a tide capable of lifting all boats.
