hat is a domain name? A and it routes the person who
domain name is a unique typed in your domain name to your
name, kind of like an web hosting server - to your web
e-mail address is unique, which site. That is how people anywhere
is registered in a database in the world can see your web
called WHOIS through an site by typing your domain name.
organization called Network
Solutions, Inc. (NSI). The domain In 1992, the National Science
name corresponds to a unique set Foundation granted an exclusive
of numbers called an IP (Internet contract to NSI to be the sole
Protocol) address. The reason we registrar of top level domain
use domain names instead of IP names. NSI also had a cooperative
addresses is that they are closer agreement with United States
to our language. It would be Department of Commerce ("DoC").
difficult to market a site like With no competition, consumers
this: "Go to 64.233.167.99 or were at the mercy of NSI.
216.109.112.135 to search the
internet!" A much easier way to In 1998, NSI and the DoC amended
do this is to say "Go to their cooperative agreement to
www.Google.com or www.yahoo.com allow for competing registrars.
to search the internet!" (Both NSI was forced to provide domain
Google and Yahoo are trade marked name registration to the
by Google, Inc., and Yahoo, Inc., competing registrars at wholesale
respectively). prices, rather than the standard
$34.99 annual fee. NSI still
A domain name points to a charges $34.99 per year.
computer called a "name server".
The name server knows that your In late 1998, the DoC assigned
domain name corresponds to your the responsibility of overseeing
web hosting server’s IP address the transition to a competitive
market for domain names and marketplace, the process of
accreditation of new registrars internet domain name registration
to a new organization called the remains a mystery for many.
Internet Corporation for Assigned
Names and Numbers (ICANN). There are a lot of companies that
want to charge you hundreds of
In 1999, ICANN began taking dollars to do the simple task of
applications from companies who domain name registration for you.
wanted to become registrars - and There are some registration
then capitalism took over: companies who will charge you $35
companies had to compete for just to register a domain. And
business. Prices came down and there are web site consultants
service improved, however some who charge over $100 to do the
are better than others. For a work for you. But you can do it
more detailed history of this yourself in about 15 minutes and
transition, visit it can cost as little as $1.99
www.icann.org/registrars/accredit for a year. If you do some
ation-history.htm. research, learn a little and work
smart, you can save yourself some
Even with the positive effects of money - and some headaches.
competition in the domain name
About the Author:
Nicholas LaPolla has been a web applications developer for 11 years. He created www.AcmeWebResources.com to help others build their websites with a focus on web design, website seo / internet marketing, and working to make money online.
Read more articles by:
Nicholas LaPolla
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