Midterms Post

Internet group: Quality over speed in new domains

NEW YORK (AP) The organization in charge of expanding the number of internet address suffixes -- the ".com" part of domain names -- is apologizing for delays but says its favoring "quality, not speed".

Three weeks ago, the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers abruptly shut down a system for letting companies and organizations propose new suffixes, after it discovered a software glitch that exposed some private data. At the time, ICANN planned to reopen the system within four business days. The system remains suspended indefinitely.

"We've very focused on the quality of what we do," ICANN CEO Rod Beckstrom said. "We take this very seriously. That's why we're moving very methodologically and professionally."

Up to 1,000 domain name suffixes could be added each year in the most sweeping change to the domain name system since its creation in the 1980s.

The idea is to let Las Vegas hotels, casinos and other attractions congregate around ".Vegas," or a company such as Canon Inc. draw customers to "cameras.Canon" or "printers.Canon." The new system will also make Chinese, Japanese and Swahili versions of ".com" possible.

After several years of deliberations, ICANN began accepting applications in mid-January. The application window was to have closed on April 12 — the same day ICANN had to shut down the system, just hours before the deadline.

The glitch did not affect general availability of the Internet's domain name system — the databases that let Internet-connected computers know where to send email and locate websites. It also did not affect the ability to register new names under existing suffixes.

Rather, the glitch was with the software ICANN had set up to take applications for new suffixes.

The proposals were supposed to be confidential until the application period closed. The software glitch allowed some applicants to view data about others, including potential competitors. The data were limited to file names and usernames, not the contents of the files.

But those names in some cases offered clues about which companies were proposing what suffixes, Beckstrom said. Knowing that could allow an applicant to change a proposal and gain an advantage.

ICANN believes that 105 applicants might have had data viewed by others, while 50 applicants might have seen information on others — inadvertently, ICANN believes. That's out of 1,268 registered applicants, each of which can submit as many as 50 suffix proposals.

ICANN said Friday that it had received $350 million in applications fees so far. Each application costs $185,000, and winners will have to pay $25,000 a year. The money will pay for ICANN's costs setting up the system, reviewing applications and making sure parties do what they have promised once the suffix is operational. Some of the money will be set aside for potential lawsuits from unsuccessful applicants and others. Companies can make money by selling names under approved suffixes.

Author: Anick Jesdanun 

Date Published: May 5, 2012 ( 1:00pm )

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People nowadays are too attached with their computers and the internet. The internet’s speed and quality is very important not only to me but also to 70% of the people all around the world. I am very particular with the speed and how the internet works in my laptops, so if there’s any delay I might want to change my product to another which is better.

This application for new suffixes will help the producers to promote, endorse or show their products to the consumer in an easier way. Example, when the company is apple, the people don’t have to type www.apple.com anymore instead they would have to type, “www.products.apple” which is more convenient and easier to memorize.

So this idea of ICANN is great, I can now surf and search my desired products in an instant way just by typing their new domain names on the internet. I am not the only one who has the benefit but also my co-consumers and the producers and workers who made this possible. For people nowadays love things that are better not faster, yes faster is better but the quality is very essential.

The effects of these changes are highly good in the economy. The more suffixes made, the more money will be given to the producer, and the higher satisfaction it will be on the consumers.  The more money that circulates to the economy, the more successful the country or even the world will be.