Internationalized Domain Names
How would you like a domain name in your own native language or writing? Pretty fun right? But this can also be chaotic. Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs) have been a source of heated discussions among Internet evangelists at ICANN for a while. [Try out the IDNs at idn.icann.org]
This week from 25-30 October 2009 happens to be the ICANN 36 meeting in Seoul, South Korea. It’s a specially relevant meeting for us “outsiders” because several hot topics, mainly the IDNs and gTLDs, are to be discussed and decided. This in a matter of time will change or affect the course of the Internet as we know it. I am therefore all ears to the meeting sessions through their website at sel.icann.org and the webcasts (Main Ballroom and ccNSO room)
UPDATE [Oct. 30, 2009 11:00AM] I was watching the webcast and the ICANN Board has approved the resolution on IDN ccTLDs.
From @icann: Process for new Internet extensions in the world’s languages approved by the #ICANN Board. Domain name system now fully global.
Before that, do you know how many top-level domains are there? [Source: blog.icann.org]
More news links:
Internet set for change with non-English addresses
ICANN: New TLDs debate to drag on
Some terminologies (that we should at least know about):
ICANN - Internet Corporation of Assigned Names and Numbers – is the organization that coordinates the Internet’s naming and addressing system.
IDNs - Internationalized Domain Names – is an expansion of the current domain name (which is made up of letters a-z) to non-ascii characters and scripts (such as chinese, arabic, etc)
gTLDs – Generic Top-Level Domains – are extensions to the Internet’s naming system (ex: .com, .org)
ccTLDs – country-code Top Level Domains – are country-specific TLDs (ex: .us, .ph)
ALAC – At-Large Advisory Committee – advises the board on issues affecting individual users of the Internet.
ccNSO – Country-Code Names Supporting Organization Council – develops policies relating to ccTLDs
GNSO - Generic Names Supporting Organization Council – develops policies relating to gTLDs
