---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Thu, 01 May 1997 21:15:21 -0400
Subject: new domain name space approved

FYI...

---<reposted from cmp-techweb>---

 May 01, 1997 

 Global Telecom Body OKs New Domain Names
 (05/01/97; 5:00 p.m. EDT)
 By Malcolm Maclachlan, TechWire

 GENEVA -- It's not just a ".com" world anymore.

 At the close of an International conference here Thursday, dozens of
 organizations signed a memorandum of understanding that adds seven
 new top-level generic Internet domains.

 The new domains -- .arts, .firm, .info, .nom, .rec, .store and .web -- join
 the five current, top Internet domains: .com, .org, .net, .gov and .edu. The
 last two names, .gov and .edu., are available only to government and
 educational institutions.

 The announcement of the new domains came on the last day of the
 International Telecommunications Union conference here. The ITU, based
 here, is the telecommunications agency of the United Nations.

 Under the plan, 28 new registrars -- four in each of the world's seven
 regions -- are given the right to distribute top-level addresses. Potential
 registrars now have 100 days to apply for one of these spots.

 Network Solutions Inc. (NSI) has the exclusive right to distribute
 top-level domain addresses through a contract with the National Science
 Foundation. The NSF announced last week that it would not renew the
 contract, which expires in 1998.

 The campaign for the new system was led by the Internet Society, a
 nonprofit group dedicated to "maintaining the viability and global scaling of
 the Internet."

 "Internet top-level domain names are a public resource," said Internet
 Society President Don Heath at conference closing ceremonies. "They are
 now recognized as a public trust. This marks just the beginning of a long
 process in which governments will be more involved and will work with
 the Internet community."

 The plan was also endorsed by Vinton Cerf, vice president of Internet
 architecture at MCI. Cerf is the researcher generally credited as being
 "the father of the Web."

 The memorandum was signed by 57 organizations, while another 23 have
 stated their intention to sign. These include groups from 24 countries on
 four continents. Almost all the signers are companies, such as MCI and
 Digital Equipment, as well as non-profit advocacy groups, rather than
 government agencies.

 "The intent was really to get the players in the industry to sign up," said
 Internet Society Executive Director Martin Burack, speaking from the
 group's Reston, Va., offices. "The governments need to be involved, but
 we want it to be industry self-regulation."

 No More Monopoly

 In the meantime, Network Solutions appears to have finally lost out on the
 lucrative monopoly it had controlled since 1993. It has made more than
 $40 million registering addresses, and stood to make far more given the
 continued Internet explosion.

 The company said it plans to maintain control over the right to distribute
 .com addresses. It is unclear whether the company has the right to do this,
 according to the NSF.

 The plan is also facing a legal challenge. Image Online Design, a web
 design firm, filed suit in California court today. The company is seeking an
 injunction against the plan on the grounds that groups involved have no
 legal standing to carry out their plans. 



~*-,._.,-*~'`^`'~*-,._.,-*~'`^`'~*-,._.,-*~'`^`'~*-,._.,-*~'`^`'~*-.._..-*~
 Rob M. VanHooren                                      1 519 679-1155 x34
 Network Engineering Services                 171 Queens Avenue, Suite 320
 Linkdata Communications Inc.                               London, CANADA
Good things come to those who wait. Patience is a virtue. Yadda Yadda Yadda


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