Good question, honestly while I've waited for their launch I don't think it's any better than any of the others. When you're looking for something short, right of the dot it's not any better than as you pointed out .net, or even .xyz, .gdn, .onl, .fyi, .ren and actually any three LLL right of the dot.
I can also assure you and mark my word that this extension will be so high priced everyone will be running for the hills, it's not 2014 when you could get great names at reg fee.
So .web is not better than .xyz, gdn, .onl etc?
I don't think you even believe that. I think you know the anticipation for .web, which means it's going to be harder for everybody to secure good keywords.
You started a .gdn thread.
It's dead. Just 2 other people besides yourself. The extension is one of the worst I've seen. You like it because you can get some good keywords, that's it. Dead thread. I had to Google gdn to find out what it means.
Simple test. Find the closest human, or hop on FB, Twitter or wherever else you might have some buddies. Find out what they're interested in, let's say sewing. Ask them if they had to start a site, which one would they choose:
sewing.web
sewing.gdn
sewing.xyz
They will most likely choose .web. The other 2 will get wtf are those responses. They're both 3 syllables. web just one and it's an actual word. It's something everybody already knows.
It's already been pointed out people like Rick pointed to this one as having the best chance, that's not some groundbreaking thought, it's obvious. It was the one most watched.
We all know .com is the #1 extension, general, generic, whatever you want to call it. If I asked for #2, most would say .net. I can see .web taking the 3rd spot. .com, .net, .web. web is pretty much interchangeable with .net.
I think people saying stuff like what I quoted, that these other new gtds are better than .web, are just worried about their investments. And you should be, you still have time to sell them before .web comes out. How does it not bump them down?
Go ahead and actually try my little test out above. Some quick, basic market research. Pick a keyword they're into, give them those options. gdn over web? Start a poll on that mad.