[comments-gtlds] New gTLDs.

["Chaz Bocock" <chaz@ave.nu>]

Hi there!

I just wanted to write and comment on my view of the new gTLDs.  I honestly
think it would be a big mistake to introduce these new TLDs.  People rarely
think of any extension except .com, even in the UK a lot of users get
confused by .co.uk - we're dealing with people here that are often very new
to computers (the Internet being their first introduction), people who can't
figure out that you have to press RETURN after typing a URI into the address
box in the browser (the reason IE5.x+ has a "GO" button to the right of the
address box).  I was a webmaster for a soft-toy company last year, and was
amazed by the number of people who'd ring saying that they were unable to
access our page.. they had tried putting the URL into the search box on
their browser's start page.

I think adding extra confusion by diluting the namespace away from just .com
would not be the solution - in fact, I'm not sure I can see the problem.
There is certainly not a lack of available names for new companies, and a
large number of the currently owned .com's are available for purchase from
their current owners for a usually acceptable fee.  Trademarks are protected
by international law, and for the most part 99% of companies who want their
domain name to accurately reflect their trademarked property own the
corresponding domain (except for instance in the case of Nissan Cars vs. Uzi
Nissan).

You do of course also run into language problems, as you have obviously
already noted with your euro-centric ".banc", which is sure to confuse
English-speaking countries.  I'm sure some of the other names will only seek
to alienate other non-English speaking countries.  The .com has lost it's
meaning as "company" now, and has become an international, multi-lingual
icon - companies have worked hard to build their brand with their .com
domain.

Please leave the name system as it is and save the world a whole lotta
bother!

Many thanks,
Chaz Bocock.