The Domain Name System is about to be radically updated and much debate has recently took place that start-ups need to be know about, as not to miss out on new potential opportunities…

SHOULD START-UPS TAKE NOTICE OF THE UPDATE?
Mike Butcher highlighted in an article for TechCrunch some important information about the impact that comes with the updating of online domain names.

From next year The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the international body that oversees the structure of the Internet, will liberalize the market for domain name extensions – the .com or .uk part of a web address. This means that anyone, in theory, can apply to operate an extension. So instead of “DietCoke dot com”, Coke could set up diet.coke, zero.coke etc etc.

GUIDES ON HOW WE ENTER THE .FUTURE
Kieren McCarthy wrote in an article for ICANN Blog featuring steps we can take while welcoming the change of applications for a new "generic top-level domain"

Alot of people have raised concerns about expanding the namespace over the past few years, and those comments have been listened to and taken into account. ICANN has said “wait until we produce the draft RFP, then if you still have concerns, let’s talk”. Thus, ICANN released a draft version of the Applicant Guidebook for those interested in applying for a new “generic top-level domain”.

You can download the Guidebook and its modules (all pdf files) at the links below:

• The Full Guidebook

Individual Modules:

• Module 1: Introduction
• Module 2: Evaluation .
• Module 3: Dispute Resolution
• Module 4: Contention
• Module 5: Transition
• Module 6: Terms and Conditions

A new update of the Applicant Guidebook was also featured later in the ICANN Blog in Kieren McCarthy’s article:

So, no doubt you have all been wondering what exactly ICANN and its staff have been up to over January with respect to the Applicant Guidebook and the reams of comments covering the new generic top-level domain process. In order to provide some answers and perspective, ICANN’s most senior executives dealing with the process – the CEO Paul Twomey, the COO Doug Brent and the Senior Vice President for Services Kurt Pritz – have done a video update on where we are now and where the process is statistically going.

SIMPLIFIED EXPLANATIONS ABOUT THE DNS (DOMAIN NAME SYSTEM)
Kim Davies featured an article in ICANN Blog concerning the many characteristics of DNS (Domain Name System), the problems that arise and some simple solutions to counter them.

The DNS can be considered to be a question-and-answer system. When you type in an address like “icann.org” into a web browser, your computer needs to turn that into a numeric address of the computer hosting that website. Let’s say I want to execute an attack on this question and answer exchange, in order to convince the computer to go to the wrong address. When the computer I wish to attack asks a question, my goal is to provide a fake response back to that computer quicker than the real server comes back with the response.

While the DNS itself can’t be properly fixed for the security problem, a new protocol that overlays the DNS called DNSSEC does. DNSSEC uses a system of certification to show that a DNS answer has not been modified. If someone tries to execute an attack, the certificate won’t validate, and the incorrect answer will be thrown away. DNSSEC is difficult to deploy. It requires upgrades in DNS servers, it changes the way domain name holders manage their name servers, and it adds extra complexity. However, with the knowledge that DNS attacks are so simple to execute without it, there is growing consensus that the pain it will take to deploy is less than the pain of a DNS that you can no longer trust.

ASSETS AUCTIONED BY THE PARENT COMPANY AND TOYS.COM DOMAIN SOLD FOR $1.25 MILLION
Robin Wauters wrote an article in TechCrunch featuring a huge business transaction between some of the world’s largest joint domain companies.

The Parent Company filed for bankruptcy in December 2008 in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court District of Delaware, and has auctioned off several substantial assets at the law offices of Pachulski Stang Ziehl & Jones LLP yesterday morning. Although creditors still need to approve everything, most of the assets on auction were sold, and you couldn’t tell we’re in a recession if you look at the sums that were coughed up.

ePregnancy.com and other eToys assets were bought for $2.15 million (they were actual operational businesses, not just domain names), while Birthdays.com, Pinata.com, eParties.com were acquired for $200,000 by Done Ventures and Domain Equity picked up Hobbies.com and iToys.com for $102,000.

Speaking of auctions and domain name sales, ToysR’Us bought over the domain name of Toyrs.com in an auction at $5.1 Million, as reported in a TechCrunch article by Eric Schonfeld.

Everyone except ToysRUs and domain holding company National A-1 (owner of domains such as free.com, boys.com, girls.com, and divorce.com) bowed out of the auction at $3 million. The last $2 million was just those two companies going back and forth for hours. ToysRUs really didn’t have much choice. If it wants to be the first thing people associate with toys it really couldn’t afford to allow anyone else to own that domain.

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