dot brand launch (BBCs report from friday)

[Bailey]

Most are aware of the new Gtld launch process. but for anybody wanting a quick generalised summary. The BBC put a nicely thought out piece on their site on Friday.

I wonder how closely Nominet will be watching, - given our (second-level) namespace also lends itself to anything-dot UK.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-15084318

New domains. Basic Rules
dot category: .bank, .music, .shop
dot place: .london, .berlin, .nyc
dot brand: .canon, .hitachi, .unicef, .motorola
non-Roman scripts allowed: Arabic, Chinese etc
minimum three characters
no numbers, hyphens or non-letter characters
no country names
no two words that differ slightly
no plurals if singular exists, e.g. bank not banks
trademark holders can block cybersquatters

 

[bensd]

I love how they start with an analogy featuring a plumber - I wonder how many average plumbers are going to afford their own gltd!

 

[lufc]

I don't know if it is just me or not but it seems as though the beeb, through the website and programmes such as click (always quite interesting) are doing a lot more domain stories.

The way I see it, the more stories that there are about the different tlds, the more people will think that they are 'normal' and the price of org.uk's me.uk's etc can only start to improve.

 

[Edwin]

It's a pity they didn't take the opportunity to point out that it would almost certainly be much cheaper, or even much MUCH cheaper, to buy your desired domain off the current owner, assuming it were available. The average person reading the article is left with only 2 ideas: buy a free-to-reg domain, or spend US$185,000 on their own extension.

 

[GreyWing]

They don't mention things like registra nutrality, the importance of keeping cybersquatters and fraudsters off an extention. Because it doesn't really matter what ICANN allows you to do, they are just after the coin. The real judge will be Google.

Google will focus and evaluate them in the coming years, it will be exactly like uk.com but in reverse. Websites behavour on .uk.com's would affect others who own .uk.com's

Mark my words, Google will decide not ICANN. Would I spend £150k to be at the mercy of Google? Not a chance with the way they flip flop about with their changes.

 

[aZooZa]

Greywing and Edwin have it nailed. Anyone see an .aero or .museum domain in the SERPs? I wouldn't pay tuppence for any of that nouveau-TLD crap. Stick to what Google serves. And when Google is usurped (which WILL happen), stick with your country code gTLDs.

That article was written by someone who doesn't have the faintest idea of the real market.

 

[Bailey]

All fair comments If it had been written for an domain aware audience But from an absolute 'none-domainers/Joe Soap, point of view (who was its intended audience) I think it summerised the introduction of the new Gtlds quite well. This was never going to be a piece that was going to shed any light on the secondary "real market" and why should/would it.

There will be individuals out there that actually have put their toe into domain investing without knowing some of the basic developments in progress . And even I like a synopsis no longer than two pages.

I quite often spend 20 minutes of my day on the Daily mail' site - Not because I appreciate the journalism or the unbelievable accuracy of their reports ' but what's being read by the masses and how is being portrayed - it would be the Sun or Star but I don't think i could handle the other distractions