What's in a domain name?

[Volk359]

Greetings all. I've been somewhat curious as to what policing there is in domain names for a website, particularly in the extension. For example, I built a website for a client who runs a school. The domain name they wanted was already taken, .com as was .net and .org. .us was relatively new at the time and was available so they went with that. I got to thinking about it a while afterwards and since they are a school they probably should have gone with .edu. What can I say, I was green at the time.

As another example, if I have a business making and selling fur covered soap dishes my website would be furcoveredsoapdishes.com but what's to stop me from using .gov instead? Or .info, .ca, .ru, or something that's obviously not related to the specific business of the website?

Some registers don't, or apparently aren't, allowed to register some extentions, .gov for example, but it appears that others are.

ICANN sets the rules and regulations, as it were, but what kind of authority do they have? Can I get in trouble if someone complains that my furcoveredsoapdishes.gov website is not from a government agency?

Thanks in advance for any and all opinions.

 

[Wullie]

It's not just a case of deciding that you are going to use .gov and that's it, there are guidelines that need to be met first.

For example, we offer .gov.uk and .ac.uk domains but we had to go through an authorisation process to be able to offer them. If someone came to us to register one of those extensions, they need to provide us with proof that they meet the eligibility guidelines for that domain.

Hope this helps

Wullie

Fresh Look - Quality Coldfusion/Windows Hosting

The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change. The leader adjusts the sails. - John Maxwell

 

[Volk359]

It does, but in the case of the school how much of an issue is it?