11/30/2004

• Russian Internet Domain Turns 10
  Over 200,000 domain names are registered in the Russian Internet domain (Runet), Mikhail Seslavinsky, head of the federal press and mass communications agency, reported on Tuesday
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• Domain Hi-Jacking - Major Issue for Search Engines and Optimizers
  There is a thread at Search Engine Watch Forums named Come on Google, Fix it !
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11/29/2004

• Domain Popularity
  "Link Popularity" is dead, long live "Domain Popularity"!
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• ICANN selects ombudsman
  The Internet's primary governing body has selected a former Canadian government bureaucrat to be its first ombudsman. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) said last week that Frank Fowlie will be responsible for independently reviewing complaints arising from outside the organization and attempting to mediate them
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• A top-level domain for embedded devices?
  The interest on the World Wide Web about the subject of top level domain names has led me to start thinking about the usefulness of a top level domain designation for connected embedded devices — .emb perhaps?
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• Nominet tackles 'Domain Registry Services' over bogus invoices
  Nominet UK, the .uk domain name registry, has obtained injunctions and orders from the High Court against Peter Francis-Macrae and Ultra Technologies Ltd, a company of which Mr Francis-Macrae is the sole director
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11/28/2004

• Will New ICANN Rules Fight Domain Transfer Fraud?
  Some observers are concerned that new rules governing the transfer of Internet domains between domain registrars that went into effect on Nov. 12 will facilitate theft of those domains and "slamming" by registrars
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11/26/2004

• ICANN to tackle Internet policy
  The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) meeting in Cape Town next week will expose South Africans to the Internet's international flavour, with many issues expected to have a direct impact on the country
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11/24/2004

• The Value of a Domain Name
  There is a nice thread going on at Cre8asite Forums named Is a Domain Name Worth It?
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11/23/2004

• Nominet Changes its Baby - the new DRS policy
  Nominet is rightly proud of its baby, the Dispute Resolution Service (DRS), which this year turned three. By its 36-month check it was clear that the kid's developing nicely with a total of 1911 new cases under its belt, 796 of which were mediated by Nominet's in-house team - resulting in a 56% settlement rate at the mediation stage
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11/22/2004

• Lord of your domain?
  You might reasonably think that a decade after the internet started to be widely known, all those amusing spats about name ownership would be ancient history. Not a bit of it
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• A UN Managed Internet? ICANN says no need, offers new plan
  There's been an increasing amount of anti-American sentiment thrown in the direction of ICANN, with plenty of talk about how the UN or another global office should take over their management of the internet. Partially in response to those criticisms, ICANN has released a Strategic Plan (pdf) that outlines their intentions for the next three years. As the Register and the International Herald Tribune note, the plan is a sales pitch to those the world over that would like to see its authority yanked
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• .pw Domain Name Registry Announces Open Registrations Begin December 15
  Trademark Owners Should File Defensive Registrations to Ensure Maximum Protection
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11/20/2004

• ICANN pitches the internet's future
  ICANN - the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers - which oversees the Internet in all its manificent lunacy, has just published a Strategic Plan, in which it has outlined what its direction and goals are for the next three years.
  In reality though, the strategic plan is a sales pitch to the world. And it should be read by anyone who wants to know the kind of people who will be running the internet for some time to come
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11/16/2004

• ICANN Domain Transfer Request Policy Puts Owners on Notice
  The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has enacted new rules for domain transfer requests. Domain owners must heighten security and account accuracy or risk losing domain ownership
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• ICANN to Operate Privately, Report Says
  Paul Twomey, chief executive for ICANN, said the organization, which oversees management of the domain name and Internet protocol address system, will cut ties with the US Department of Commerce in 2006 and firmly dismissed the possibility that it would ever be under the control of an international organization
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11/15/2004

• 37% of e-commerce sites rely on .net
  In an attempt to renew the license for monitoring the .net domain zone Verisign reported on .net domain name usage (nothing to do with Microsoft's .NET libraries). 37 of the top 100 Web sites rely on .net, and about 37% of all e-commerce relies on .net to get to its destination. Despite the fact that .net has only about 5 mln registered entities, about 150 bln e-mails flow through the domain daily. German .de domain zone currently has 8 mln users
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• ICANN Accepting .net Proposals
  The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (icann.org) is expected to formally request proposals for the management of the .net domain framework Friday. Currently overseen by VeriSign Inc., which also controls the .com framework, the contract for .net management will expire on June 30 and several companies are rushing to compete for future contracts
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• No role for UN in ICANN
  THE global domain name governing body has warned off the UN, saying it will operate as a private organisation when its agreement with the US Department of Commerce expires in 2006
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• dotMP - Mobile Internet Domain Extends Sunrise Registration Period
  Strong Demand for .mp Domain Names - Trademark Holders Demand More Time
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• What's in a domain name? Hijackers answer back
  To demonstrate how easy it is to hijack an online brand, last week Asa Bailey decided to take on one of the biggest advertising agencies in the world, Ogilvy and Mather.
  In response to criticism from Netimperative (see Throwing stones in domain glasshouses), he details here his reasoning, and why he thinks, in the modern marketing world, the domain name and the blog are now king
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11/14/2004

• ICANN moves to move VeriSign lawsuit to Paris
  The Internet's governing body is trying to reroute a lawsuit that VeriSign, which has a monopoly on the master .com database, filed against it in February. The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) said Friday that it has requested that the lawsuit be moved from California state court to the International Chamber of Commerce in Paris
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11/13/2004

• ICANN Flips Switch on New Transfer Policy
  ICANN , the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers, on Friday flipped the switch on a new URL transfer policy
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• Choosing Domain Names for Professional Sites
  A professional or business site is one where the primary purpose of the site is to facilitate business transactions. You can sell items directly online or exclusively offline, but the result is the same. You want customers to buy products and/or service directly from you.
  To create a domain name for this type of website here are a few guidelines
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11/12/2004

• Is Your Domain Name Being Hijacked?
  New rule creates potential security flaw for domain name transfers.
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• Business miss out on domain names
  Obscure variants make searching for firms difficult, says survey
  Choosing the most generic domain name available is the only way to guarantee customers can find your company's Web site, says a new survey
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11/11/2004

• Is Your Domain Locked Down?
  ICANN's new domain transfer policy that starts Friday is intended to provide greater security and portability to the domain transfer process and protect against "domain slamming."
  But some registrars argue that the new policy by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers could actually raise risks of fraudulent domain transfers and are advising customers to lock their domains now
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• ICANN Names Dispute Arbitrators
  The National Arbitration Forum (arbitration-forum.com) and the Asian Domain Name Dispute Resolution Centre (cietac.org.cn) have been approved as independent dispute resolution providers for ICANN's (icann.org) Transfer Dispute Resolution Policy, announced today. The policy is part of the new Inter-Registrar Transfer Policy that goes into effect Friday, November 12
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• A UN Controlled Internet?
  Many countries (and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan) have long argued than American based ICANN has a pro-American bias and that control and management over the internet should fall under the auspices of the United Nations. In an apparent shift in that direction, the UN has established a new working group on internet governance, dedicated toward dealing with spam, cyber-security and other Internet-related issues
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• Online Crooks Stealing Trademarks, Domain Names Can Be Thwarted, Wolf Greenfield Lawyer Says
  Cyberpirates don't fly the Jolly Roger when ripping off trademarks and domain names. They work in secret, but if you don't catch them early, they can scuttle your ship of commerce
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• ICANN rule change prompts domain hijacking scare
  ICANN is set to implement new rules this Friday that affect domain name transfers between registrars. Some are scared these changes will open a new avenue for domain hijacking
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11/10/2004

• NetSol Locks Domains, But Others Say Concerns Are Overblown
  Network Solutions is among a number of domain registrars who have automatically locked down all domain names registered by its customers to prevent errant transfers under new ICANN guidelines on domain transfers, which take effect Friday
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• New ICANN Rules Could Allow Hijacking
  According to research and analysis firm Netcraft (netcraft.com), domain names may become easier to hijack under new domain transfer rules set by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (icann.org)
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• Domain transfer rules are a cyber squatter charter
  SECURITY AND network services outfit Netcraft has warned that the new rules for domain transfers that will come into effect on Friday, are a cyber squatter's charter
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• National Arbitration Forum Named Dispute Resolution Provider for Internet Domain Registrar Disputes
  The National Arbitration Forum and the Asian Domain Name Dispute Resolution Centre (ADNDRC) have been approved as independent dispute resolution providers for the Transfer Dispute Resolution Policy (TDRP) as announced today by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). This policy is part of the Inter-Registrar Transfer Policy, which will go into effect on November 12, 2004
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11/09/2004

• Domain Transfers (and Hijackings) to Become Easier
  Domain registrars are warning customers that their domain names could become easier to hijack as a change in domain transfer rules takes effect Friday. Under new rules set by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), domain transfer requests will be automatically approved in five days unless they are explicitly denied by the current registrar
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11/08/2004

• How To Choose The Best Domain Name
  First of all let's define what a domain name is. A unique name that represents each computer on the Internet. (Some machines do have more than one domain name.) The DNS converts the domain name requested by an Internet user into an IP address
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• PW Domain Name Registry Auctions Exclusive Sponsorship Rights to 50,000 Second-Level Domains
  This list includes popular surnames and first names, countries, cities and states, destination sites and short letter strings. Most of the second level domains selected for this auction represent communities of thousands or even millions of people
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11/04/2004

• Choosing An Effective Domain Name
  Choosing an effective domain name is important to increase visibility, attract buyers, and inspire trust
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• They won't get far with .travel
  THE biggest joke of the past fortnight was the announcement by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers that it has made progress on approval of the new sponsored top level domain .travel.
  Just who does ICANN think this will benefit, and what kind of drugs are they smoking?
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• Six Ways To Create a Keyword-Rich Domain Name
  An effective domain name can help to brand your site. It can also communicate to your customers the types of products you sell online. An easy to remember domain that describes your services should be the goal of every site owner. Here are some techniques that you can use to create the best domain name for your company
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• Two new top level domains?
  Internet authority ICANN has announced that it has entered into commercial and technical negotiations with the potential registrars of two new top level domains - .post and .travel
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11/02/2004

• UK.biz urged to get online
  Companies are being urged to set up their own website if they are to take advantage of the 76 per cent of consumers who prefer to search for businesses on the internet, according to research by web hosting and domain name company easily.co.uk. The findings show that the internet has replaced business directories as the first port of call for consumers trying to find a business
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• A Kink in .Travel Plans
  Robert Arbogast is one of many alternative domain name owners who are just now finding out their years-long investment in .travel might come to an end after a recent decision by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN)
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11/01/2004

• Chinese domain names to be promoted
  China will promote the use of domain names in Chinese characters in order to make the website names easier to remember
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