| It's one of those frustrating things that can | | | | countries using their ccTLD, so can other |
| happen when we're setting up an online business. | | | | countries. A geographical domain that appears to |
| The business idea, the name, and the details for | | | | represent something else may not be such a |
| all the other steps fall into place. Except...the | | | | good idea after all. The terms for domain |
| perfect dot com domain for our site is already | | | | registration for some ccTLDs state that the |
| taken. Generally speaking, .com domains are the | | | | registrant must live in or have other ties with the |
| most sought after. They're what people think of | | | | country. |
| first when they type in a domain name. If we use | | | | People who register the domains without meeting |
| a different domain extension, we risk losing traffic | | | | the requirements risk losing their domains if it's |
| to the site with the .com extension. Of course | | | | found that they registered the domains without |
| when we want a country-specific domain | | | | being eligible to do so. Those with .tv domains |
| extension, the extension for the country we have | | | | should fare better. In 2000, the tiny South Pacific |
| in mind has precedence over a .com one. Or we | | | | nation of Tuvalu sold the use of its .tv ccTLD. |
| may have to settle for a domain other than the | | | | The term TV is internationally known for |
| .com variation if nothing available in .com is what | | | | television, so it can be suitable for websites in |
| we want. And if our business serves or | | | | various countries. |
| represents a specific community and we can | | | | Newer top-level domains |
| have a domain extension that specifies that place, | | | | Beyond the generic .com, .net, and .org TLDs, |
| isn't that even better? Sometimes we don't get | | | | newer ones provide more opportunities to choose |
| what we think we're getting. | | | | that perfect domain for general and specific uses. |
| Country code top-level domains (ccTLD) | | | | Domains for professional use |
| Every country has its own top-level domain | | | | .aero is reserved for the aviation business, such |
| (domain extension). An important point to | | | | as airports and airlines . .biz means business. It's |
| remember is that registry authorities in the | | | | restricted to business or commercial use. .coop is |
| country of each ccTLD have control over the | | | | intended to promote co-operative identity. Credit |
| registration of domains using their TLD. How does | | | | unions and other business co-ops that use .coop |
| YourCompanyName.la sound? LA, or Los Angeles, | | | | contribute to funds only to help cooperatives with |
| is glamorous. The city of stars. Domains ending in | | | | limited resources in various countries. .museum |
| .la would suit a variety of entertainment sites. | | | | domains help people see that a website is run by |
| Problem is, .la refers to Laos, not Los Angeles. Or | | | | a museum, a museum association, or museum |
| what about .ws? Anything goes with "website." A | | | | professionals. The Museum Domain Management |
| lot of domain registrants are viewing it as an | | | | Association, or MuseDoma for short, manages |
| excellent alternative to already-taken .com | | | | .museum domain registrations. .pro, short for |
| domains. The .ws extension is for Samoa, | | | | professional, is currently only for professionals in |
| however. For medical doctors, .md sounds | | | | the accounting, engineering, legal, or medical fields. |
| impressive, even if the doctor isn't from Moldova. | | | | When professionals are certified that they are |
| Another example illustrates the problem. A few | | | | eligible for a .pro domain, they can register |
| years ago, domains with .uk.co extensions were | | | | .acc.pro, .eng.pro, .law.pro, .med.pro, or a few other |
| marketed as an alternative to domains ending in | | | | variations. They are also issued a digital certificate |
| .co.uk. They were just what a lot of people | | | | so that they can digitally sign and encrypt emails. |
| wanted when the .co.uk version of the name they | | | | Domains for general use |
| wanted was already taken. They were also useful | | | | .info is, of course, short for information -- in many |
| domains to have if you already had the .co.uk | | | | languages, which adds to its usefulness. There are |
| domain and wanted to catch traffic from those | | | | no restrictions on who can use an .info domain. It's |
| who accidentally reversed the two parts of this | | | | suitable for both individuals and companies. .name |
| extension. | | | | domains are for individual use. The names can be |
| So, a lot of people registered these domains. | | | | real, first and last name, first name last initial, |
| About 8,000, in fact. One morning in February | | | | pseudonyms, nicknames, or a fictional character |
| 2003, those 8,000 people woke up to find out | | | | that the registrant has rights to. They can be a |
| that they'd lost their domains, their sites, and their | | | | combination of names and numbers, e.g., |
| email. At a Colombia website, they were able to | | | | janedoe1972.name. But they must be personal |
| learn the story. The registrar for .uk.co domains | | | | names of some sort and not just words. .us can |
| hadn't agreed to the terms of a new | | | | be used by US citizens, organizations, businesses, |
| arrangement to provide temporary safeguarding | | | | or government agencies. Its use is for the most |
| of their domains, so .uk.co domains were no | | | | part unrestricted. Naturally, the registrant must be |
| longer available. That was probably the first time | | | | a US citizen or permanent resident, or the |
| that many people realized that the "co" in the | | | | organization must be incorporated in the US or |
| domain stood for Colombia, not company. If | | | | have a presence in the US. |
| Colombia can pull the plug on people from other | | | | |