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What Is A Domain Name |
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What is a Domain name and how does it work? and What does a
domain name have to do with someone finding my website on the
internet?
Domain names are pseudonyms for the assigned numbers which
represent an internet address for each domain name server on the
internet. Each number is similar to a telephone number in that
each number is unique and identifys a different computer
conected to the net. The numbers are called internet protocol
numbers or ip numbers.
The system of domain names was created in parellel to ip
numbers, since names are more intuitive, easier to remember, and
less likely to have typing errors than a long string of numbers
comprising at least nine numbers with punctutation periods
throughout.
A system of domain name servers has been established worldwide
to provide a look up facility and to map the name to the correct
number.
What are top level domains?
Domain names originate from a top level domain.
There are two kinds of top level domains - namely, generics and
country codes.
There are seven generic top level domains which include dotnet.
The rest are restricted. Dot.int for international
organizations, dot.gov for the U.S Government, dot.edu for
degree granting universities, and finally, dot.mil Restricted to
the U.S Military.
243 different nations have also applied to the internet assigned
numbers authority, affectionately called IANA, to have their own
separate top level country code registry. In 1994 this group of
academics, based in the United States, established the rules for
granting top level domains but each country has its own rules
for registration of domain names.
The three open top level domain names, dot com, dot org, and dot
net have become valuable business identifiers, and therefore are
as important as a corporate name, business name, a trade name,
or a trademark. These are valuable in a class of business assets
known as intangible business assets, or intellectual property.
Because these top level domains were originated in the U.S, it
is generally thought that U.S laws are applicable. Legal cases
in the United States are now beginning to deal with the
conflicts between domain names and recognized intellectual
property such as trademarks. Every infringement case brought to
court by a trademark owner has resulted in a win for the
trademark owner over the domain name registrant. In Canada there
have been no cases. The law of each country is playing a catch
up game to deal with the emerging legal issues of the internet.
Could you as a business owner afford self enforcement in the
courts of foreign countries to defend your registered domain
name?
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