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Now, new domain names to flood netscape

Last Updated 29 January 2014, 20:51 IST

For years, the internet remained content with website addresses that invariably ended with .com extensions.

Offering radically new domain names such as .guru and .singles, the world wide web is now about to get a total image makeover.

Simply put, if Rajesh is an expert in his field, his web address could be www.rajesh.guru
In all, seven new domain names will now help internet users identify and brand themselves online in a much more personalised way. Here’s the complete list of extensions announced by a US-based company Donuts Inc: .bike, .clothing, .guru, .holdings, .plumbing, .singles and .ventures.

But this is only the first step. The firm is expected to launch hundreds of these targeted and specific extensions later this year.  

Technically, these extensions are called generic top-level domains (gTLDs). Donuts Inc has said any user could register their names in these gTLDs on a first-come, first-served basis from accredited registrars worldwide. On February 5, the company will launch another batch of extensions — .camera, .equipment, .estate, .gallery, .graphics, .lighting and .photography. This will unleash a flurry of new English-language domains soon, although several Arabic, Chinese and Cyrillic domain-name extensions were already released in October 2013.

Donuts co-founder and CEO Paul Stahura said about the new launches: “This is a unique opportunity for businesses, brands, organisations and individuals to find an online identity that speaks precisely to their products, services and interests.”

An estimated 1,400 new gTLDs could flood the internet over the next few years. This will completely transform online business, according the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN).

The new domains are expected to help internet users quickly find content and websites suited to their interest. Businesses will benefit from a targeted connection with their partners and clients. 

Corporate biggies such as Google and Apple have reportedly applied for their domain extensions.

The extensions being proposed include .google, .apple, .nike and many more. With names that are much more meaningful and targeted, the new extensions could fundamentally change how people navigate the internet.

Currently, the .com extension dominates the internet, with about 110 million of the 265 million addresses registered globally using it.

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(Published 29 January 2014, 20:51 IST)

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