Lawchek® - Domain Name Disputes


What are the Parts that make up the Internet "address" of the Domain Name?
Part I: Domain Names There are three main parts of the Domain Name which make up the "address" online. The least disputed is the Third Level Domain Names. These define where a file may be found on the Internet. The most popular is www. However, other sub domains may be used instead of www; these are set up through the Internet Service Provider (ISP) or through a personal server if owned. Once set up the subdomains may direct clients to specific areas of the site. For example: information.mysite.com & links.mysite.com. Many people do not use this option because they are either unaware of the possibilities or they are more concerned with staying in the public mainstream of the www hype. Second Level Domain Names (SLDs) have become the major identifying factor of businesses over the Internet. Per the introductory example, this would be artzdezign. These distinct address names are often the center of domain name disputes as various trademark companies claim ownership of any representation of their names. Finally, there are the Top-Level Domain Names (TLDs). There are three main categories: nTLDs There are national TLDs (nTLDs) which are created from country codes; for example .us = United States and .uk = United Kingdom (for a complete list of nTLDs click here). These domains are usually restricted to citizens only. However, some have been sold on the international market for various reasons. For example, Turkmenistan at one time allowed international use of its nTLD .tm for many companies interested in its similarity to trademark (™).		nTLDs (cont.) Grouped into this category are .gov (government), .edu (educational), and .mil (military). These are commonly recognized as domains with restricted use in the United States. However, a few other countries have used them. These domains are now restricted for government and established school use only. iTLDs Next, there is the International TLDs (iTLDs) that are reserved for entities which are truly international in character. The most common would be the iTLD .int which is commonly used by international intergovernmental organizations. However, iTLDs are not used for businesses which market internationally. Instead businesses use gTLDs. gTLDs Finally there are generic TLDs (gTLDs). These are sometimes looked at as international because almost anyone may register. Examples of gTLDs would be .com (commercial), .net (internet service providers, large network sites, etc.), and .org (organizations). These are the most commonly used because of their easy recognition in advertising. At first glance one may assume there to be an abundance of Domain Name possibilities. However, in reality, most groups want the gTLDs but only one person in the world, such as in the introductory example, may actually use a-specific-name.com online.
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