new.net: yet another dns namespace overlay play
[ this came from http://www.new.net/about_us_press.tp and appears not to be a joke. its operational impact will not be felt today, but if it's even moderately popular before it dies, operational impact WILL be felt. i'm quite surprised by some of the folks they list as their partners. --vix ] Contact: Claudia de Llano or Lisa Doiron Connors Communications (310) 452-7540 claudia@connors.com or lisa@connors.com Brad Copeland New.net, Inc. 626-229-7800 pr@new.net New.net Expands Internet Naming With Launch of 20 New Top-Level Domain Names New Domain Name Registry's Technology Uses Existing Internet Naming System to Make Available Sensible, Meaningful Web Addresses Pasadena, Calif. - March 5, 2001 - New.net (http://www.new.net), a domain name registry created to meet the market demand for Web addresses with logical, easy-to-remember extensions that make Internet navigation easier, today officially released its first 20 new top-level domains. New.net has developed a novel, proprietary approach, using software technology deployed at either the network level by partner ISPs or on individual PCs, that uses the existing Internet naming system to enable millions of users to gain access to these new addresses. With this launch, the Internet community will be able to purchase and use domain names with extensions ("top-level domains") that were previously unavailable. Each of the new top-level domains was chosen to enable organizations and individuals to create Web addresses that more clearly describe their product, service offering, group activity or passion. The first 20 top-level domains being released are: .CHAT .GMBH .LTD .SPORT .CLUB .HOLA .MED .TECH .FAMILY .INC .MP3 .TRAVEL .FREE .KIDS .SHOP .VIDEO .GAME .LAW .SOC .XXX "New.net will dramatically broaden the scope of available domain names," said David Hernand, CEO of New.net. "Our research has indicated a tremendous market demand to move beyond .com and .net. We believe these new extensions will make it far easier for companies and individuals to market their Web sites using more intuitive addresses and for Internet users to navigate the Web." Availability Domain names using the initial set of extensions are available on a first-come, first-served basis for a flat fee of $25 per year. New.net anticipates that the availability of such descriptive extensions will inspire purchasers to provide content that is relevant to the specific domain names purchased. However, as an added benefit to parents, the company will require those purchasing domain names ending in .kids to offer Web sites that contain kid-friendly content and comply with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, and it reserves the right to revoke names that aren't used accordingly. Partnerships Through strategic relationships with leading Internet Service Providers (ISPs), including EarthLink, Excite@Home, and NetZero, over 16 million users will have access to the New.net domains beginning this week. Other Web users can activate their Internet browsers to recognize the new domain names in a few seconds by visiting www.new.net. "EarthLink is excited to partner with New.net as we identify new ways for our subscribers to more easily find information on the Internet and in turn, make their own Web sites more readily accessible to others," said, Jon Irwin, executive vice president of EarthLink's user experience. "By automatically making New.net available to our customer base, we are enhancing EarthLink's online experience and helping to provide an open, uncensored connection to the real Internet." New.net has also embarked on a series of partnerships designed to promote the mass downloading of its browser plug-in and widespread use of its new domain names. In the first of these announcements, New.net has partnered with MP3.com. As a result of this partnership, MP3.com will be an exclusive third-party seller of .mp3 domain names and will encourage its millions of visitors to activate New.net's browser plug-in. MP3.com's Web site hosts what it believes is the largest collection of digital music available on the Internet, with audio files posted from over 135,000 digital artists and record labels. These artists will be able to sign up for unique Web addresses with their name and the .mp3 extension (e.g., www.artistname.mp3). Opportunities also exist for current registries and registrars of .com and other domain names. New.net is currently in discussions with a wide variety of companies to offer the New.net domains to their customers. New.net is making additional efforts to win the trust of parents that .kids sites will be appropriate for their children. As part of that effort, New.net has reached an agreement in principle with .KIDS Domains, Inc. to be the official registry of .kids domain names. Those applying for .kids domain names will be required to publish content that is "kid-friendly" and in compliance with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and .KIDS Domains guidelines. .KIDS Domains will be screening all requests for .kids domain names for appropriateness and will be implementing a process to evaluate sites' compliance with guidelines for kid-friendly content. The International Solution "We believe that New.net's new domains will be particularly attractive to the international community, which has been long-neglected by the existing naming system," added Hernand. "By adding .gmbh, .ltd and .soc, in addition to .inc, we can provide a more sensible naming system for businesses in a wide variety of countries. And by introducing the .hola extension, we have a unique top-level domain that will appeal to the growing population of Spanish-speaking Internet families in the U.S. and around the world. In addition, New.net's technology will allow the use of foreign-language characters in both the domain name and the extension, unique among naming systems." The Technology New.net is able to provide use of these new, top-level domains through innovative, patent-pending technology that allows the New.net names to live within the existing Internet domain name system. Whether on an individual browser level via the New.net plug-in, or through software resident on a participating ISP's server, requests to display Web pages with New.net domain names are resolved by appending the additional extension .new.net onto the address. As a result, requests are automatically routed to New.net's DNS servers to determine the correct IP address of the computer hosting the Web page. New.net has partnered with UltraDNS, one of the Internet's leading DNS infrastructure services companies, to provide scalable, global DNS services. The Future New.net plans to introduce additional new top-level domains based on consumer and business demand. The company is engaged in ongoing market research to narrow the list of possibilities and is actively seeking consumer feedback on its Web site in order to assist in making sound, market-driven choices. New.net will also consider proposals submitted by third parties interested in having particular top-level domains released. About New.net New.net (http://www.new.net) is building the Internet's leading market-driven domain name registry business by selling domain names with logical, easy-to-remember top-level domain extensions that make the Internet easier to navigate. Based in Pasadena, California, the company was started in May 2000 by idealab!, a leading Internet incubator. Since that time, New.net has developed propriety technology that allows its domain-naming system to exist alongside the traditional naming systems currently in use on the Internet. # # # © 2001 New.net, Inc. All rights reserved.
At 22:59 05/03/01 -0800, Paul A Vixie wrote: Yet another money hungry company looking to Balkanize the Internet. I guess they figure if Verisign can do it via their national language domain suffixes, why not us too!? -Hank
[ this came from http://www.new.net/about_us_press.tp and appears not to be a joke. its operational impact will not be felt today, but if it's even moderately popular before it dies, operational impact WILL be felt. i'm quite surprised by some of the folks they list as their partners. --vix ]
Contact: Claudia de Llano or Lisa Doiron Connors Communications (310) 452-7540 claudia@connors.com or lisa@connors.com
Brad Copeland New.net, Inc. 626-229-7800 pr@new.net
New.net Expands Internet Naming With Launch of 20 New Top-Level Domain Names
New Domain Name Registry's Technology Uses Existing Internet Naming System to Make Available Sensible, Meaningful Web Addresses
Pasadena, Calif. - March 5, 2001 - New.net (http://www.new.net), a domain name registry created to meet the market demand for Web addresses with logical, easy-to-remember extensions that make Internet navigation easier, today officially released its first 20 new top-level domains. New.net has developed a novel, proprietary approach, using software technology deployed at either the network level by partner ISPs or on individual PCs, that uses the existing Internet naming system to enable millions of users to gain access to these new addresses.
With this launch, the Internet community will be able to purchase and use domain names with extensions ("top-level domains") that were previously unavailable. Each of the new top-level domains was chosen to enable organizations and individuals to create Web addresses that more clearly describe their product, service offering, group activity or passion. The first 20 top-level domains being released are:
.CHAT .GMBH .LTD .SPORT .CLUB .HOLA .MED .TECH .FAMILY .INC .MP3 .TRAVEL .FREE .KIDS .SHOP .VIDEO .GAME .LAW .SOC .XXX <cut>
Interesting that they point all "unassigned" names at their own "not in use" page with a Google frame at the bottom. [rusty@nerdvana rusty]$ nslookup mp3.mp3 UDNS2.NEWDOTNET.NET Server: udns2.newdotnet.net Address: 204.74.101.253 Name: mp3.mp3 Address: 64.208.49.135 [rusty@nerdvana rusty]$ nslookup dog.mp3.mp3 UDNS2.NEWDOTNET.NET Server: udns2.newdotnet.net Address: 204.74.101.253 Name: dog.mp3.mp3 Address: 64.208.49.135 [rusty@nerdvana rusty]$ nslookup blowme.mp3 UDNS2.NEWDOTNET.NET Server: udns2.newdotnet.net Address: 204.74.101.253 Name: blowme.mp3 Address: 64.208.49.135
Through strategic relationships with leading Internet Service Providers (ISPs), including EarthLink, Excite@Home, and NetZero....
God I love BizDev people.
New.net is able to provide use of these new, top-level domains through innovative, patent-pending technology that allows the New.net names to live within the existing Internet domain name system.
patent-pending technology? oh brother. I thought VC's started doing research before handing out $$? If this was 1999, it wouldn't surprise me. But my god, you would think these fools would learn. Anyone want to start a free colocation facility? Free dial, free colo, whats the difference. I'm sure whoever funded New.net will fund us! -- Steve Rubin / KG6DFV / Phone: (408)270-3258 Fax: (408)270-3273 Email: ser@tch.org / N57DL / http://www.tch.org/~ser/
On Mon, 5 Mar 2001, Steve Rubin wrote:
Through strategic relationships with leading Internet Service Providers (ISPs), including EarthLink, Excite@Home, and NetZero....
God I love BizDev people.
New.net is able to provide use of these new, top-level domains through innovative, patent-pending technology that allows the New.net names to live within the existing Internet domain name system.
patent-pending technology? oh brother.
I thought VC's started doing research before handing out $$? If this was 1999, it wouldn't surprise me. But my god, you would think these fools would learn. Anyone want to start a free colocation facility? Free dial, free colo, whats the difference. I'm sure whoever funded New.net will fund us!
Dude, it gets better.
From the release:
Internet easier to navigate. Based in Pasadena, California, the company was started in May 2000 by idealab!, a leading Internet incubator. Since that time, New.net has developed propriety technology that allows its
Ah, another idealab! company. Lets see, what OTHER idealab! companies have screwed themselves lately (according to FuckedCompany.com[0])? * idealab! itself * eToys.com - still doing their final closeout sale * refer.com - closed * cooking.com - 20% layoffs (rumor) * utility.com - all offered services suspended * CarsDirect.com - webserver's gone * petsmart.com - pulled IPO * modo.net - closed * firstlook.com - 30% layoffs (rumor) * eve.com - webserver's gone. And there's a couple other notable mentions, including lawsuits and other funness. idealab! is making a name for itself in funding lots of companies that are tanking left and right. And they don't even have the decency to remove their fallen children from their homepage (utility.com, netzero, and carsdirect being notables)... -j [0] - I take FuckedCompany with a grain of salt (as I assume everyone else does), but many of their reports on idealab! have been shown to be true (or very close to accurate) as reported. -- -Jonathan Disher -Sr. Systems and Network Engineer, Web Operations -Internet Pictures Corporation, Palo Alto, CA -[v] (650) 388-0497 | [p] (877) 446-9311 | [e] jdisher@eng.ipix.com
Gack. I have misspoken myself. I was getting !H's on these, but now they're working. Probably because of the flapping on my UUNet T1 (*cough* I thought they fixed this last time *cough*)...
* CarsDirect.com - webserver's gone Webserver is still up, apparently doing business. But they yanked their IPO (nice)...
* eve.com - webserver's gone. Webserver is there, but the business is gone, they're redirecting to sephora.com.
Sorry bout that. This proves I should be at home asleep at 2am, not fixing stupid scripts. -j -- -Jonathan Disher -Sr. Systems and Network Engineer, Web Operations -Internet Pictures Corporation, Palo Alto, CA -[v] (650) 388-0497 | [p] (877) 446-9311 | [e] jdisher@eng.ipix.com
I can personally attest that VC's do not do any research when doling out the guappa... On Mar 5, 2001 Steve Rubin spake:
Through strategic relationships with leading Internet Service Providers (ISPs), including EarthLink, Excite@Home, and NetZero....
God I love BizDev people.
New.net is able to provide use of these new, top-level domains through innovative, patent-pending technology that allows the New.net names to live within the existing Internet domain name system.
patent-pending technology? oh brother.
I thought VC's started doing research before handing out $$? If this was 1999, it wouldn't surprise me. But my god, you would think these fools would learn. Anyone want to start a free colocation facility? Free dial, free colo, whats the difference. I'm sure whoever funded New.net will fund us!
-- Rich Sena - ras@thick.net ThickNET Consulting "On the way to understanding; you understand, and forget."
Rich Sena wrote:
I can personally attest that VC's do not do any research when doling out the guappa...
Then you really haven't been through very many VC due diligence examinations recently, have you? Alec -- Alec H. Peterson - ahp@hilander.com Staff Scientist CenterGate Research Group - http://www.centergate.com "Technology so advanced, even _we_ don't understand it!"
Definately not recently... sounds klike the smoke and mirros has cleared a bit eh? On Mar 6, 2001 Alec H. Peterson spake:
Rich Sena wrote:
I can personally attest that VC's do not do any research when doling out the guappa...
Then you really haven't been through very many VC due diligence examinations recently, have you?
Alec
-- Rich Sena - ras@thick.net ThickNET Consulting "On the way to understanding; you understand, and forget."
Rich Sena wrote:
Definately not recently... sounds klike the smoke and mirros has cleared a bit eh?
Things have gotten tighter, to be sure. The VC rounds I went through in '99 were definitely very different from the recent ones. But recall that VCs are in the business of taking risks. They figure that they only need one in every few projects to be a hit for them to do well. Naturally they don't plan on a project to fail (although some may appear that way to outside observers). Alec -- Alec H. Peterson - ahp@hilander.com Staff Scientist CenterGate Research Group - http://www.centergate.com "Technology so advanced, even _we_ don't understand it!"
At 10:15 AM 3/6/2001 -0700, Alec H. Peterson wrote:
Rich Sena wrote:
I can personally attest that VC's do not do any research when doling out the guappa...
Then you really haven't been through very many VC due diligence examinations recently, have you?
Alec
Can't speak for Thicky, but I think what he means is that VC's spend far more time on due dillgence of the actual plan than they do the technical application behind it. I agree with him, if that's what he meant. -M Regards, -- Martin Hannigan hannigan@fugawi.net Fugawi Networks Engineering Boston, MA http://www.fugawi.net Ph: 617.742.2693 Fax: 617.742.2300
Martin Hannigan wrote:
Can't speak for Thicky, but I think what he means is that VC's spend far more time on due dillgence of the actual plan than they do the technical application behind it.
I agree with him, if that's what he meant.
That I will definitely agree with too, although naturally it does depend on the type of business. Alec -- Alec H. Peterson - ahp@hilander.com Staff Scientist CenterGate Research Group - http://www.centergate.com "Technology so advanced, even _we_ don't understand it!"
Marty my advocate, yes, yes sir, you are correct sir, that is precicely what I meant... It's sorta like get a couple of twins at the Barking Crab... you buy a couple of fancy shells - but you don't see that they were backstroking in sewage... (a little Boston specific ref...) On Mar 6, 2001 Martin Hannigan spake:
At 10:15 AM 3/6/2001 -0700, Alec H. Peterson wrote:
Rich Sena wrote:
I can personally attest that VC's do not do any research when doling out the guappa...
Then you really haven't been through very many VC due diligence examinations recently, have you?
Alec
Can't speak for Thicky, but I think what he means is that VC's spend far more time on due dillgence of the actual plan than they do the technical application behind it.
I agree with him, if that's what he meant.
-M
Regards,
-- Martin Hannigan hannigan@fugawi.net Fugawi Networks Engineering Boston, MA http://www.fugawi.net Ph: 617.742.2693 Fax: 617.742.2300
-- Rich Sena - ras@thick.net ThickNET Consulting "On the way to understanding; you understand, and forget."
On Tue, 6 Mar 2001, Rich Sena wrote:
I can personally attest that VC's do not do any research when doling out the guappa...
It really depends on the VC. The old line (read as successful) VCs do a LOT of due diligence. The problem (or opportunity) is that there's an awful lot of money chasing a small number of really well put together startups. So... a lot of money either sits in T-bills or gets invested in ill-advised places. Miles ************************************************************************** The Center for Civic Networking PO Box 600618 Miles R. Fidelman, President & Newtonville, MA 02460-0006 Director, Municipal Telecommunications Strategies Program 617-558-3698 fax: 617-630-8946 mfidelman@civicnet.org http://civic.net/ccn.html Information Infrastructure: Public Spaces for the 21st Century Let's Start With: Internet Wall-Plugs Everywhere Say It Often, Say It Loud: "I Want My Internet!" **************************************************************************
On Mon, 5 Mar 2001, Steve Rubin wrote:
New.net is able to provide use of these new, top-level domains through innovative, patent-pending technology that allows the New.net names to live within the existing Internet domain name system.
patent-pending technology? oh brother.
Actually, that would be the part of it that lets users get to these new domains even if their ISP does not cooperate. Read the release again carefully. hint: browser plugin. Charles
-- Steve Rubin / KG6DFV / Phone: (408)270-3258 Fax: (408)270-3273 Email: ser@tch.org / N57DL / http://www.tch.org/~ser/
On Tue, 06 Mar 2001 13:18:10 EST, Charles Sprickman said:
Actually, that would be the part of it that lets users get to these new domains even if their ISP does not cooperate. Read the release again carefully. hint: browser plugin.
Hmm.. I wonder if anybody's tried to use those hostnames in an FTP or SMTP transaction yet. The Internet is not the Web. Warn the help desks. -- Valdis Kletnieks Operating Systems Analyst Virginia Tech
The resolver shouldn't care where the queries come from. That means a query from a web application will be resolved the same way as an ftp. Arnold -- person: Arnold Nipper address: Heilbronner Str. 34b, 76131 Karlsruhe, Germany phone: +49 700 NIPPER DE e-mail: arnold@nipper.de mobile: +49 172 2650958 ----- Original Message ----- From: <Valdis.Kletnieks@vt.edu> To: "Charles Sprickman" <spork@inch.com> Cc: "Steve Rubin" <ser@tch.org>; "Paul A Vixie" <vixie@mfnx.net>; <nanog@merit.edu> Sent: Tuesday, March 06, 2001 9:13 PM Subject: Re: new.net: yet another dns namespace overlay play
On Wed, 07 Mar 2001 00:05:51 +0100, Arnold Nipper said:
The resolver shouldn't care where the queries come from. That means a query from a web application will be resolved the same way as an ftp.
That's if you're using a replacement resolver. The problem is that as I originally read it, it was a *web browser plugin* - as such, if it's interfering in other lookups (like FTP or an SMTP process) it's overstepping its bounds. Some of us run operating systems where the distinction is still made between the OS kernel, the system libraries, and the application's libraries and plugins... -- Valdis Kletnieks Operating Systems Analyst Virginia Tech
On Tue, Mar 06, 2001 at 01:18:10PM -0500, Charles Sprickman wrote:
Actually, that would be the part of it that lets users get to these new domains even if their ISP does not cooperate. Read the release again carefully. hint: browser plugin.
Wow; they wrote a program that transfers information, then redirects a browser (via hooks already built in to the browser) to a new web page? Gosh, hope that patent goes though; novel ideas like that need protection, otherwise every Tom, Dick, and Harry will think he can just go off and write that code. In about five minutes. While drunk.
On Mon, 5 Mar 2001, Steve Rubin wrote:
New.net is able to provide use of these new, top-level domains through innovative, patent-pending technology that allows the New.net names to live within the existing Internet domain name system.
patent-pending technology? oh brother.
Actually, that would be the part of it that lets users get to these new domains even if their ISP does not cooperate. Read the release again carefully. hint: browser plugin.
It doesn't matter what they use, there is almost 2 decades of prior art: cat /etc/resolv.conf to see an example. But I bet the USPTO issues the patent anyway.
Charles
-- Steve Rubin / KG6DFV / Phone: (408)270-3258 Fax: (408)270-3273 Email: ser@tch.org / N57DL / http://www.tch.org/~ser/
On Mon, Mar 05, 2001 at 11:30:18PM -0800, Steve Rubin wrote:
I thought VC's started doing research before handing out $$? If this was 1999, it wouldn't surprise me. But my god, you would think these fools would learn. Anyone want to start a free colocation facility? Free dial, free colo, whats the difference. I'm sure whoever funded New.net will fund us!
If you get IE to support these newfangled fake TLDs, noone will know the difference. The only thing that wouldn't work for >95% of the internet would be email. Get hotmail and yahoo to support it, and the rest of the world is forced to go along. This is no joke - it's an expensive gamble, which is what VCs are good at. Regards, bert hubert -- http://www.PowerDNS.com Versatile DNS Services Trilab The Technology People 'SYN! .. SYN|ACK! .. ACK!' - the mating call of the internet
If you get IE to support these newfangled fake TLDs, noone will know the difference. The only thing that wouldn't work for >95% of the internet would be email.
Get hotmail and yahoo to support it, and the rest of the world is forced to go along.
This is a scary scary but all too true thought.
Through strategic relationships with leading Internet Service Providers ... over 16 million users will have access to the New.net domains
oooo. a whole 16 million users! -- [ Jim Mercer jim@pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis.ca ] [ Reptilian Research -- Longer Life through Colder Blood ] [ aka jim@reptiles.org +1 416 410-5633 ]
Paul A Vixie wrote:
[ this came from http://www.new.net/about_us_press.tp and appears not to be a joke. its operational impact will not be felt today, but if it's even moderately popular before it dies, operational impact WILL be felt. i'm quite surprised by some of the folks they list as their partners. --vix ]
This reminds me of the days of Eugene Kashpureff. Ironically, while I can ping www.new.net - notice what it resolves to : 64 bytes from mm4ee.vegas.idealab.com (64.208.49.141): icmp_seq=0 ttl=247 time=72.345 msec I cannot get the web page. Also, look at
The Technology
New.net is able to provide use of these new, top-level domains through innovative, patent-pending technology that allows the New.net names to live within the existing Internet domain name system. Whether on an individual browser level via the New.net plug-in, or through software resident on a participating ISP's server, requests to display Web pages with New.net domain names are resolved by appending the additional extension .new.net onto the address. As a result, requests are automatically routed to New.net's DNS servers to determine the correct IP address of the computer hosting the Web page. New.net has partnered with UltraDNS, one of the Internet's leading DNS infrastructure services companies, to provide scalable, global DNS services.
So, in other words, if ICANN approves any of the same top level domains, DNS for those domains will be totally hosed. Also, note that they did not give in their PR AN EXAMPLE for the rest of us to try. Marshall Eubanks
Contact: Claudia de Llano or Lisa Doiron Connors Communications (310) 452-7540 claudia@connors.com or lisa@connors.com
Brad Copeland New.net, Inc. 626-229-7800 pr@new.net
New.net Expands Internet Naming With Launch of 20 New Top-Level Domain Names <snip>
Multicast Technologies, Inc. 10301 Democracy Lane, Suite 410 Fairfax, Virginia 22030 Phone : 703-293-9624 Fax : 703-293-9609 e-mail : tme@on-the-i.com http://www.on-the-i.com
On Mon, 5 Mar 2001, Paul A Vixie wrote:
[ this came from http://www.new.net/about_us_press.tp and appears not to be a joke. its operational impact will not be felt today, but if it's even moderately popular before it dies, operational impact WILL be felt. i'm quite surprised by some of the folks they list as their partners. --vix ]
Too bad ICANN has been such a complete and utter failure that an organization felt it necessary to start such a business, huh?
On Tue, 6 Mar 2001, Patrick Greenwell wrote: : :On Mon, 5 Mar 2001, Paul A Vixie wrote: : :> :> [ this came from http://www.new.net/about_us_press.tp and appears not to be :> a joke. its operational impact will not be felt today, but if it's even :> moderately popular before it dies, operational impact WILL be felt. i'm :> quite surprised by some of the folks they list as their partners. --vix ] : :Too bad ICANN has been such a complete and utter failure that an :organization felt it necessary to start such a business, huh? Sounds like this was driven more by carelessness and greed than by necessity.
On Tue, 6 Mar 2001, Brian Wallingford wrote:
On Tue, 6 Mar 2001, Patrick Greenwell wrote:
: :On Mon, 5 Mar 2001, Paul A Vixie wrote: : :> :> [ this came from http://www.new.net/about_us_press.tp and appears not to be :> a joke. its operational impact will not be felt today, but if it's even :> moderately popular before it dies, operational impact WILL be felt. i'm :> quite surprised by some of the folks they list as their partners. --vix ] : :Too bad ICANN has been such a complete and utter failure that an :organization felt it necessary to start such a business, huh?
Sounds like this was driven more by carelessness and greed than by necessity.
While I agree that the implementation leaves something to be desired, this appears to be driven by pent-up market demand. Apparently this equates to greed in your book. *shrug*
Here's the part of new.net that seems not well thought out. So if you don't wanna dink with system settings to be an end user, and are not on a partner network, then too bad, is that what I appear to be seeing? 2. Are there differences between how New.net domain names and .COM/.NET/.ORG domain names work? There are some differences, but in many ways the domain names work the same. One difference is that in order for people to see New.net domain names they must be either accessing the Internet through one of our many ISP partners or they must have downloaded and installed our Web browser plug-in. If either one of these requirements is met, then New.net domains will work just as you are used to .com and .net domains working. 3. Who is helping to shape New.net? New.net has many partners who are working with us to make New.net domains widely recognized around the world. Some of our current partners include: Earthlink, NetZero, Excite@Home, .KIDS Domains, Inc., and MP3.com. Brian ----- Original Message ----- From: "Brian Wallingford" <brian@meganet.net> To: "Patrick Greenwell" <patrick@cybernothing.org> Cc: "Paul A Vixie" <vixie@mfnx.net>; <nanog@merit.edu> Sent: Tuesday, March 06, 2001 8:30 AM Subject: Re: new.net: yet another dns namespace overlay play
On Tue, 6 Mar 2001, Patrick Greenwell wrote:
: :On Mon, 5 Mar 2001, Paul A Vixie wrote: : :> :> [ this came from http://www.new.net/about_us_press.tp and appears not
to be
:> a joke. its operational impact will not be felt today, but if it's even :> moderately popular before it dies, operational impact WILL be felt. i'm :> quite surprised by some of the folks they list as their artners. --vix ] : :Too bad ICANN has been such a complete and utter failure that an :organization felt it necessary to start such a business, huh?
Sounds like this was driven more by carelessness and greed than by necessity.
* Brian (bri@sonicboom.org) [010306 17:19]:
Here's the part of new.net that seems not well thought out. So if you don't wanna dink with system settings to be an end user, and are not on a partner network, then too bad, is that what I appear to be seeing?
No I think it was thought out. This is pysically no different than any of the other alternative roots that have popped up in the past (quite a few of them are still around I believe). Just that new.net has actually come to agreements with several large ISP's (earthlink, netzero, excite@home) for their domains to be reachable through them (at least that's how I read their website). This gives them access to a large subscriber base. I believe they are hoping by having market penetration, thus generating interest and usage, that they will give other ISP's no choice but to eventually join the new.net crowd, or lose customers. Greg -- Greg Rumple grumple@zaphon.llamas.net
Brian, I'm curious, the use of UDNS1 and UDNS2 in your nameserver host names seems to suggest that UltraDNS is affiliated with this somehow. Is that true or was it just a bad choice of hostnames? KL Brian wrote:
Here's the part of new.net that seems not well thought out. So if you don't wanna dink with system settings to be an end user, and are not on a partner network, then too bad, is that what I appear to be seeing?
2. Are there differences between how New.net domain names and .COM/.NET/.ORG domain names work? There are some differences, but in many ways the domain names work the same.
One difference is that in order for people to see New.net domain names they must be either accessing the Internet through one of our many ISP partners or they must have downloaded and installed our Web browser plug-in.
If either one of these requirements is met, then New.net domains will work just as you are used to .com and .net domains working.
3. Who is helping to shape New.net? New.net has many partners who are working with us to make New.net domains widely recognized around the world. Some of our current partners include: Earthlink, NetZero, Excite@Home, .KIDS Domains, Inc., and MP3.com.
Brian
----- Original Message ----- From: "Brian Wallingford" <brian@meganet.net> To: "Patrick Greenwell" <patrick@cybernothing.org> Cc: "Paul A Vixie" <vixie@mfnx.net>; <nanog@merit.edu> Sent: Tuesday, March 06, 2001 8:30 AM Subject: Re: new.net: yet another dns namespace overlay play
On Tue, 6 Mar 2001, Patrick Greenwell wrote:
: :On Mon, 5 Mar 2001, Paul A Vixie wrote: : :> :> [ this came from http://www.new.net/about_us_press.tp and appears not
to be
:> a joke. its operational impact will not be felt today, but if it's even :> moderately popular before it dies, operational impact WILL be felt. i'm :> quite surprised by some of the folks they list as their artners. --vix ] : :Too bad ICANN has been such a complete and utter failure that an :organization felt it necessary to start such a business, huh?
Sounds like this was driven more by carelessness and greed than by necessity.
Sorry Brian, the way I read the quotes in your post it looked like you were speaking for them. It is a good question though. KL Kevin Loch wrote:
Brian,
I'm curious, the use of UDNS1 and UDNS2 in your nameserver host names seems to suggest that UltraDNS is affiliated with this somehow. Is that true or was it just a bad choice of hostnames?
KL
Brian wrote:
Here's the part of new.net that seems not well thought out. So if you don't wanna dink with system settings to be an end user, and are not on a partner network, then too bad, is that what I appear to be seeing?
2. Are there differences between how New.net domain names and .COM/.NET/.ORG domain names work? There are some differences, but in many ways the domain names work the same.
One difference is that in order for people to see New.net domain names they must be either accessing the Internet through one of our many ISP partners or they must have downloaded and installed our Web browser plug-in.
If either one of these requirements is met, then New.net domains will work just as you are used to .com and .net domains working.
3. Who is helping to shape New.net? New.net has many partners who are working with us to make New.net domains widely recognized around the world. Some of our current partners include: Earthlink, NetZero, Excite@Home, .KIDS Domains, Inc., and MP3.com.
Brian
----- Original Message ----- From: "Brian Wallingford" <brian@meganet.net> To: "Patrick Greenwell" <patrick@cybernothing.org> Cc: "Paul A Vixie" <vixie@mfnx.net>; <nanog@merit.edu> Sent: Tuesday, March 06, 2001 8:30 AM Subject: Re: new.net: yet another dns namespace overlay play
On Tue, 6 Mar 2001, Patrick Greenwell wrote:
: :On Mon, 5 Mar 2001, Paul A Vixie wrote: : :> :> [ this came from http://www.new.net/about_us_press.tp and appears not
to be
:> a joke. its operational impact will not be felt today, but if it's even :> moderately popular before it dies, operational impact WILL be felt. i'm :> quite surprised by some of the folks they list as their artners. --vix ] : :Too bad ICANN has been such a complete and utter failure that an :organization felt it necessary to start such a business, huh?
Sounds like this was driven more by carelessness and greed than by necessity.
Domain Name: NEW.NET Registrar: ENOM, INC. Whois Server: whois.enom.com Referral URL: www.enom.com Name Server: UDNS1.NEWDOTNET.NET Name Server: UDNS2.NEWDOTNET.NET Updated Date: 03-mar-2001 ... Although I believe amazon owns the patent on nameservers starting with UDNS. Matt -- Matt Levine, CTO <mlevine@efront.com> eFront Media, Inc. - http://www.efront.com Phone: +1 714 428 8500 ext. 504 Fax : +1 949 203 2156 ICQ : 17080004
-----Original Message----- From: owner-nanog@merit.edu [mailto:owner-nanog@merit.edu]On Behalf Of Patrick Greenwell Sent: Tuesday, March 06, 2001 9:56 AM To: Kevin Loch Cc: Brian; nanog@merit.edu Subject: Re: new.net: yet another dns namespace overlay play
On Tue, 6 Mar 2001, Kevin Loch wrote:
Brian,
I'm curious, the use of UDNS1 and UDNS2 in your nameserver host names seems to suggest that UltraDNS is affiliated with this somehow. Is that true or was it just a bad choice of hostnames?
They are providing DNS.
2. Are there differences between how New.net domain names and .COM/.NET/.ORG domain names work? There are some differences, but in many ways the domain names work the same.
Nope. You query a resolver, and it returns the best answer that it knows. Resolvers only do what you tell them to do.
One difference is that in order for people to see New.net domain names they must be either accessing the Internet through one of our many ISP partners or they must have downloaded and installed our Web browser plug-in.
In order to use the New.net names, you just need to query a resolver that knows about them. The '.com/.net/.org' block has a distinct advantage, since most resolvers find out about their servers by default. -- Alex Kamantauskas alexk@tugger.net
Just at first glance, it doesn't seem too hard to set this up... They'd need their own root servers, then their "partner networks" would have to change their setting for the "." domain. Looks like (depending on number of root servers) a day's work for new.net and 5 minutes per name server for their "partner networks". Not a very hard thing to do. So their plugin, then, probably appends a new.net name server to your name server list, or does something funky to your browser to make it query a different name server. Not too much dinking about with your settings, then. I dunno, just seems like a very easy thing to do, not worth too much hype. Though the fact that there's market demand and ICANN isn't stepping in to fill it is somewhat disturbing... Matthew Devney On Tue, 6 Mar 2001, Brian wrote:
Date: Tue, 6 Mar 2001 08:59:48 -0800 From: Brian <bri@sonicboom.org> To: nanog <nanog@merit.edu> Subject: Re: new.net: yet another dns namespace overlay play
Here's the part of new.net that seems not well thought out. So if you don't wanna dink with system settings to be an end user, and are not on a partner network, then too bad, is that what I appear to be seeing?
2. Are there differences between how New.net domain names and .COM/.NET/.ORG domain names work? There are some differences, but in many ways the domain names work the same.
One difference is that in order for people to see New.net domain names they must be either accessing the Internet through one of our many ISP partners or they must have downloaded and installed our Web browser plug-in.
If either one of these requirements is met, then New.net domains will work just as you are used to .com and .net domains working.
3. Who is helping to shape New.net? New.net has many partners who are working with us to make New.net domains widely recognized around the world. Some of our current partners include: Earthlink, NetZero, Excite@Home, .KIDS Domains, Inc., and MP3.com.
Brian
----- Original Message ----- From: "Brian Wallingford" <brian@meganet.net> To: "Patrick Greenwell" <patrick@cybernothing.org> Cc: "Paul A Vixie" <vixie@mfnx.net>; <nanog@merit.edu> Sent: Tuesday, March 06, 2001 8:30 AM Subject: Re: new.net: yet another dns namespace overlay play
On Tue, 6 Mar 2001, Patrick Greenwell wrote:
: :On Mon, 5 Mar 2001, Paul A Vixie wrote: : :> :> [ this came from http://www.new.net/about_us_press.tp and appears not
to be
:> a joke. its operational impact will not be felt today, but if it's even :> moderately popular before it dies, operational impact WILL be felt. i'm :> quite surprised by some of the folks they list as their artners. --vix ] : :Too bad ICANN has been such a complete and utter failure that an :organization felt it necessary to start such a business, huh?
Sounds like this was driven more by carelessness and greed than by necessity.
On Tue, Mar 06, 2001 at 08:13:36AM -0800, Patrick Greenwell wrote:
On Mon, 5 Mar 2001, Paul A Vixie wrote:
[ this came from http://www.new.net/about_us_press.tp and appears not to be a joke. its operational impact will not be felt today, but if it's even moderately popular before it dies, operational impact WILL be felt. i'm quite surprised by some of the folks they list as their partners. --vix ]
Too bad ICANN has been such a complete and utter failure that an organization felt it necessary to start such a business, huh?
Too bad people can believe what they read in press releases rather than reality. I wonder if anyone can register a name with them, and then sue them for not actually adding any new TLDs? Aside from the misrepresentation of it being anythign other than subdomains in their zone, it is a good thing. Of course, that misrepresentation is slimy, will cause confusion if and when any of those *.new.net zones match new TLDs, and is the hallmark of shysters. I think the comments about EK and Balkanizing are spot on, but the only tell half the story; this is also about duping of the masses at the end of the pipe. Just like when news servers became measured by the locker-room length of your .newsrc; when the unscrupulous goons down the block started giving any and all comers *.(com|net|org) regarless what kind of entity it was ...if a critical mass of folks are duped into believing this is the Way It Is, will this eat away at sanity and will you find your bosses saying "it may not be 'right' but we have to stay competative" ...? Bleah. Joe -- Joe Provo Voice 508.486.7471 Director, Internet Planning & Design Fax 508.229.2375 Network Deployment & Management, RCN <joe.provo@rcn.com>
Actually they are not just subdomains of new.net. What it looks like is an attempt to make the UltraDNS network the new root. udns1.ultradns.net returns an A record for pie.shop just like udns1.newdotnet.net. I suspect that all UltraDNS servers return queries for these alternate TLD's. The more I look at this the more it looks like an good old fasioned root hijack. The difference this time is they already have the network of servers, and they already have some ISPs lined up. I'm not passing judgement on wether it's good or not, but let's call it as it is. KL Joe Provo wrote:
not actually adding any new TLDs? Aside from the misrepresentation of it being anythign other than subdomains in their zone, it is a good thing. Of course, that misrepresentation is slimy, will cause confusion if and when any of those *.new.net zones match new TLDs, and is the hallmark of shysters. I think the comments about EK and Balkanizing are spot on, but the only tell half the story; this is also about duping of the masses at the end of the pipe.
On Tue, Mar 06, 2001 at 02:06:23PM -0500, Kevin Loch wrote: [snip]
The more I look at this the more it looks like an good old fasioned root hijack. The difference this time is they already have the network of servers, and they already have some ISPs lined up.
Uh, yah. That was my point re: masses, etc. We apparently have different assumptions implicit in "adding any new TLDs". Root servers, like rule of law, is a consensual social delusion. I'm not one that likes to limit my reachability, so from my perspective no, they aren't added and I only see them through the subdomains of new.net. Interesting how aware they are of their present lack of critical mass; see their explicit instructions for non-windoze OS users. They don't ask end-users to add their servers in, but rather to simply extend their resolver search to look under new.net. Cheers, Joe -- Joe Provo Voice 508.486.7471 Director, Internet Planning & Design Fax 508.229.2375 Network Deployment & Management, RCN <joe.provo@rcn.com>
* Kevin Loch (kloch@opnsys.com) [010306 21:42]:
Actually they are not just subdomains of new.net. What it looks like is an attempt to make the UltraDNS network the new root.
Actually, I don't believe it is. By looking at the new.net web page under the ISP configuration page, you will see the following. ftp://ftp.New.net/domain/bind/named.cache ----------------------------------------- ; . 3600000 IN NS ns1.newdotnet.net. ns1.newdotnet.net. 3600000 IN A 206.132.100.43 ; . 3600000 IN NS ns2.newdotnet.net. ns2.newdotnet.net. 3600000 IN A 64.209.213.126 ; . 3600000 IN NS ns3.newdotnet.net. ns3.newdotnet.net. 3600000 IN A 209.151.233.13 ; ; End of File This is new.net's proposed root zone hint file to use in place of the standard root hint file. These 3 servers are not operated by UltraDNS. 2 of them are on Idealab operated IP space, with the third being on Cyberverse IP space (according to the arin whois database). If you do query these root servers (which run bind 9.1.0), you will find the normal root delegations, as well as delegations for the new.net TLD's. The new.net TLD's are delegated to UltraDNS operated servers.
udns1.ultradns.net returns an A record for pie.shop just like udns1.newdotnet.net.
It also returns the same A record for pie.shop.new.net.
I suspect that all UltraDNS servers return queries for these alternate TLD's.
I suspect that right now you are correct.
The more I look at this the more it looks like an good old fasioned root hijack. The difference this time is they already have the network of servers, and they already have some ISPs lined up.
I don't believe their intentions are to hijack.
I'm not passing judgement on wether it's good or not, but let's call it as it is.
KL
Joe Provo wrote:
not actually adding any new TLDs? Aside from the misrepresentation of it being anythign other than subdomains in their zone, it is a good thing. Of course, that misrepresentation is slimy, will cause confusion if and when any of those *.new.net zones match new TLDs, and is the hallmark of shysters. I think the comments about EK and Balkanizing are spot on, but the only tell half the story; this is also about duping of the masses at the end of the pipe.
-- Greg Rumple grumple@zaphon.llamas.net
Hi, This doesn't look like a root hijack, but more like the preperations for a hostile take over of part of the domain name system. All that's missing are the free services offered under the new naming scheme and some marketing hype. Once they manage to get a large established user base they will probably turn to ICANN to try and 'negotiate' a merger of both DNS trees. Or perhaps I'm just being paranoid. - marcel On Tue, 6 Mar 2001, Kevin Loch wrote:
Actually they are not just subdomains of new.net. What it looks like is an attempt to make the UltraDNS network the new root.
udns1.ultradns.net returns an A record for pie.shop just like udns1.newdotnet.net.
I suspect that all UltraDNS servers return queries for these alternate TLD's.
The more I look at this the more it looks like an good old fasioned root hijack. The difference this time is they already have the network of servers, and they already have some ISPs lined up.
I'm not passing judgement on wether it's good or not, but let's call it as it is.
KL
Joe Provo wrote:
not actually adding any new TLDs? Aside from the misrepresentation of it being anythign other than subdomains in their zone, it is a good thing. Of course, that misrepresentation is slimy, will cause confusion if and when any of those *.new.net zones match new TLDs, and is the hallmark of shysters. I think the comments about EK and Balkanizing are spot on, but the only tell half the story; this is also about duping of the masses at the end of the pipe.
Kevin Loch wrote:
Actually they are not just subdomains of new.net. What it looks like is an attempt to make the UltraDNS network the new root.
udns1.ultradns.net returns an A record for pie.shop just like udns1.newdotnet.net.
I suspect that all UltraDNS servers return queries for these alternate TLD's.
The more I look at this the more it looks like an good old fasioned root hijack. The difference this time is they already have the network of servers, and they already have some ISPs lined up.
Hijacking rhetoric aside ... and instead of getting into a discussion of the individual points this thread has raised over the course of the last two days, I can make a clear statement that answers most of them: *UltraDNS has no intention of running an alternative root.* And we are *not* currently doing so. New.Net is a customer of the UltraDNS Managed Service and may use the UltraDNS directory application to manage any domain it wishes. As with any name service, New.Net may populate authoritative servers with arbitrary TLDs. As long as the root (".") does not resolve the TLDs, other Internet users are not affected. It's also worth mentioning here, in reference to the subject of "cache poisoning" that the UltraDNS servers are *not* recursive. UltraDNS understands that New.Net is providing a private namespace for those service providers who choose to offer it to their customers. While this namespace is implemented using Internet standard protocols, it is otherwise much the same as other private naming conventions that are offered in a similar manner, e.g. AOL Keywords or RealNames(tm). If I'm not mistaken, I believe that NSI/Verisign are significant investors in RealNames(tm). And I think Idealabs! was an early round investor in RealNames(tm) as well. Small world. Vint Cerf himself described what New.Net are doing as "a cute trick". :-) Hopefully this makes clear any misconceptions that have arisen from any press releases, articles, websites, posts here and in other newsgroups, etc. regarding UltraDNS's involvement in this initiative. If you're still intent on chasing this down, instead of interpreting (or mis-interpreting) feel free to contact the CEO of UltraDNS, Steve Kalman (president@ultradns.com). He *will* engage in discussion, and even provide answers. -- Rodney Joffe CenterGate Research Group, LLC. http://www.centergate.com "Technology so advanced, even we don't understand it!"(R)
On Tue, 6 Mar 2001, Joe Provo wrote:
On Tue, Mar 06, 2001 at 08:13:36AM -0800, Patrick Greenwell wrote:
On Mon, 5 Mar 2001, Paul A Vixie wrote:
[ this came from http://www.new.net/about_us_press.tp and appears not to be a joke. its operational impact will not be felt today, but if it's even moderately popular before it dies, operational impact WILL be felt. i'm quite surprised by some of the folks they list as their partners. --vix ]
Too bad ICANN has been such a complete and utter failure that an organization felt it necessary to start such a business, huh?
Too bad people can believe what they read in press releases rather than reality.
I wonder if anyone can register a name with them, and then sue them for not actually adding any new TLDs?
They are adding new TLDs via their own root servers. http://www.new.net/help_isp_info.tp Everyone that has a computer has a choice where to point resolution to.
On Tue, Mar 06, 2001 at 11:36:42AM -0800, Patrick Greenwell wrote:
On Tue, 6 Mar 2001, Joe Provo wrote:
Too bad people can believe what they read in press releases rather than reality.
I wonder if anyone can register a name with them, and then sue them for not actually adding any new TLDs?
They are adding new TLDs via their own root servers.
http://www.new.net/help_isp_info.tp
Everyone that has a computer has a choice where to point resolution to.
Yup, and that page is the tweak-your-nameserver for those who want to dictate that clients see an inconsistant view of the net. Note the end-user instructions (http://www.new.net/download/instructions_unknown.tp) clearly indicate to just add extend the search zone, or subvert your resolver on windoze from a browser widget. Interesting how this will play into Earthlink's "provider of the real internet" advertizing... is providing an inclusively inconsistant view of the namespace more real than doing so by exclusion? :-) Is an inconsistant namespace "worse" than transparent caching, or other "not real Internet" practices? Either way, it becomes a matter of end-user confusion. Personally, I think this will be the significant 'secession' from the current collective DNS tree that other attempts have not been. Joe, just throwing out thoughts, not judging either... -- Joe Provo Voice 508.486.7471 Director, Internet Planning & Design Fax 508.229.2375 Network Deployment & Management, RCN <joe.provo@rcn.com>
Joe Provo wrote:
Interesting how this will play into Earthlink's "provider of the real internet" advertizing... is providing an inclusively inconsistant view of the namespace more real than doing so by exclusion? :-) Is an inconsistant namespace "worse" than transparent caching, or other "not real Internet" practices? Either way, it becomes a matter of end-user confusion. Personally, I think this will be the significant 'secession' from the current collective DNS tree that other attempts have not been.
Speaking as someone who used to work there... the best explanation we could ever come up with was that Earthlink really did want to be Pepsi to AOL's Coke (which works, seeing where they're based after the Mindspring merger). It can be summed up by the phrase "The biggest, and second-best". If you look at the amount of private, users-only (or "must do extra stuff to get it if you're not a user") services AOL has... is it any suprise that the second-biggest dialup ISP is completely willing to do the same sort of thing to get their users "access to more of the internet"? No, the Web isn't the Internet - but it's the cash cow that gives most of the folks on this list their jobs, if often indirectly. Who wants to take bets that the most-looked-up of their "new TLDs" is .xxx? Anyone? I could use the spare cash... -- *************************************************************************** Joel Baker System Administrator - lightbearer.com lucifer@lightbearer.com http://www.lightbearer.com/~lucifer
[ this came from http://www.new.net/about_us_press.tp and appears not to be a joke. its operational impact will not be felt today, but if it's even moderately popular before it dies, operational impact WILL be felt. i'm quite surprised by some of the folks they list as their partners. --vix ]
Contact: Claudia de Llano or Lisa Doiron Connors Communications (310) 452-7540 claudia@connors.com or lisa@connors.com
Brad Copeland New.net, Inc. 626-229-7800 pr@new.net
New.net Expands Internet Naming With Launch of 20 New Top-Level Domain Names
New Domain Name Registry's Technology Uses Existing Internet Naming System to Make Available Sensible, Meaningful Web Addresses
I wish more people would understand that just because no one has implemented their idea before doesn't mean that it wasn't thought of, then discarded as a bad idea. Then again, that sort of humility is probably not prevalent at a company named "IdeaLab!"
I just got a customer that has "registered" 4 domains with new.net, is there a place I can direct them to, so they can read about this "scam"? K On Mon, 5 Mar 2001, Paul A Vixie wrote:
[ this came from http://www.new.net/about_us_press.tp and appears not to be a joke. its operational impact will not be felt today, but if it's even moderately popular before it dies, operational impact WILL be felt. i'm quite surprised by some of the folks they list as their partners. --vix ]
Contact: Claudia de Llano or Lisa Doiron Connors Communications (310) 452-7540 claudia@connors.com or lisa@connors.com
Brad Copeland New.net, Inc. 626-229-7800 pr@new.net
New.net Expands Internet Naming With Launch of 20 New Top-Level Domain Names
New Domain Name Registry's Technology Uses Existing Internet Naming System to Make Available Sensible, Meaningful Web Addresses
Pasadena, Calif. - March 5, 2001 - New.net (http://www.new.net), a domain name registry created to meet the market demand for Web addresses with logical, easy-to-remember extensions that make Internet navigation easier, today officially released its first 20 new top-level domains. New.net has developed a novel, proprietary approach, using software technology deployed at either the network level by partner ISPs or on individual PCs, that uses the existing Internet naming system to enable millions of users to gain access to these new addresses.
With this launch, the Internet community will be able to purchase and use domain names with extensions ("top-level domains") that were previously unavailable. Each of the new top-level domains was chosen to enable organizations and individuals to create Web addresses that more clearly describe their product, service offering, group activity or passion. The first 20 top-level domains being released are:
.CHAT .GMBH .LTD .SPORT .CLUB .HOLA .MED .TECH .FAMILY .INC .MP3 .TRAVEL .FREE .KIDS .SHOP .VIDEO .GAME .LAW .SOC .XXX
"New.net will dramatically broaden the scope of available domain names," said David Hernand, CEO of New.net. "Our research has indicated a tremendous market demand to move beyond .com and .net. We believe these new extensions will make it far easier for companies and individuals to market their Web sites using more intuitive addresses and for Internet users to navigate the Web."
Availability
Domain names using the initial set of extensions are available on a first-come, first-served basis for a flat fee of $25 per year. New.net anticipates that the availability of such descriptive extensions will inspire purchasers to provide content that is relevant to the specific domain names purchased. However, as an added benefit to parents, the company will require those purchasing domain names ending in .kids to offer Web sites that contain kid-friendly content and comply with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, and it reserves the right to revoke names that aren't used accordingly.
Partnerships
Through strategic relationships with leading Internet Service Providers (ISPs), including EarthLink, Excite@Home, and NetZero, over 16 million users will have access to the New.net domains beginning this week. Other Web users can activate their Internet browsers to recognize the new domain names in a few seconds by visiting www.new.net.
"EarthLink is excited to partner with New.net as we identify new ways for our subscribers to more easily find information on the Internet and in turn, make their own Web sites more readily accessible to others," said, Jon Irwin, executive vice president of EarthLink's user experience. "By automatically making New.net available to our customer base, we are enhancing EarthLink's online experience and helping to provide an open, uncensored connection to the real Internet."
New.net has also embarked on a series of partnerships designed to promote the mass downloading of its browser plug-in and widespread use of its new domain names. In the first of these announcements, New.net has partnered with MP3.com. As a result of this partnership, MP3.com will be an exclusive third-party seller of .mp3 domain names and will encourage its millions of visitors to activate New.net's browser plug-in. MP3.com's Web site hosts what it believes is the largest collection of digital music available on the Internet, with audio files posted from over 135,000 digital artists and record labels. These artists will be able to sign up for unique Web addresses with their name and the .mp3 extension (e.g., www.artistname.mp3).
Opportunities also exist for current registries and registrars of .com and other domain names. New.net is currently in discussions with a wide variety of companies to offer the New.net domains to their customers.
New.net is making additional efforts to win the trust of parents that .kids sites will be appropriate for their children. As part of that effort, New.net has reached an agreement in principle with .KIDS Domains, Inc. to be the official registry of .kids domain names. Those applying for .kids domain names will be required to publish content that is "kid-friendly" and in compliance with the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) and .KIDS Domains guidelines. .KIDS Domains will be screening all requests for .kids domain names for appropriateness and will be implementing a process to evaluate sites' compliance with guidelines for kid-friendly content.
The International Solution
"We believe that New.net's new domains will be particularly attractive to the international community, which has been long-neglected by the existing naming system," added Hernand. "By adding .gmbh, .ltd and .soc, in addition to .inc, we can provide a more sensible naming system for businesses in a wide variety of countries. And by introducing the .hola extension, we have a unique top-level domain that will appeal to the growing population of Spanish-speaking Internet families in the U.S. and around the world. In addition, New.net's technology will allow the use of foreign-language characters in both the domain name and the extension, unique among naming systems."
The Technology
New.net is able to provide use of these new, top-level domains through innovative, patent-pending technology that allows the New.net names to live within the existing Internet domain name system. Whether on an individual browser level via the New.net plug-in, or through software resident on a participating ISP's server, requests to display Web pages with New.net domain names are resolved by appending the additional extension .new.net onto the address. As a result, requests are automatically routed to New.net's DNS servers to determine the correct IP address of the computer hosting the Web page. New.net has partnered with UltraDNS, one of the Internet's leading DNS infrastructure services companies, to provide scalable, global DNS services.
The Future
New.net plans to introduce additional new top-level domains based on consumer and business demand. The company is engaged in ongoing market research to narrow the list of possibilities and is actively seeking consumer feedback on its Web site in order to assist in making sound, market-driven choices. New.net will also consider proposals submitted by third parties interested in having particular top-level domains released.
About New.net
New.net (http://www.new.net) is building the Internet's leading market-driven domain name registry business by selling domain names with logical, easy-to-remember top-level domain extensions that make the Internet easier to navigate. Based in Pasadena, California, the company was started in May 2000 by idealab!, a leading Internet incubator. Since that time, New.net has developed propriety technology that allows its domain-naming system to exist alongside the traditional naming systems currently in use on the Internet.
# # #
� 2001 New.net, Inc. All rights reserved.
participants (32)
-
Alec H. Peterson -
Alex Kamantauskas -
Anne Marcel -
Arnold Nipper -
bert hubert -
Brian -
Brian Wallingford -
Charles Sprickman -
David R. Dick -
Greg Rumple -
Hank Nussbacher -
Jim Mercer -
Joe Provo -
Jonathan Disher -
Kevin Loch -
Krzysztof Adamski -
lucifer＠lightbearer.com -
Marshall Eubanks -
Martin Hannigan -
Matt Levine -
mdevney＠teamsphere.com -
Mike Batchelor -
mike harrison -
Miles Fidelman -
Patrick Greenwell -
Paul A Vixie -
Rich Sena -
Rodney Joffe -
Rusty H. Hodge -
Shawn McMahon -
Steve Rubin -
Valdis.Kletnieks＠vt.edu