The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), the body charged with overseeing the creation of Internet domain names and with resolving domain name disputes, has unveiled the list of the new proposed top level domain (TLD) names.
Domain names are Internet addresses, such as www.idg.net or www.whitehouse.gov. Top level domain names are those domains most commonly used, such as .com, .org and .net.
More than 50 companies, cities and individuals submitted proposals for TLDs, including the city of Dubai, Nokia, Novell, Diebold and the Société Internationale de Télécommunications Aéronautiques of Belgium. A completed application and a US$50,000 check drawn from an American bank were needed to submit a TLD proposal. The submission period ended October 2.
Though ICANN notes that the list of proposed names on its Web site is not necessarily complete, the list it offers is formidable. Proposed domain names include: .ads, .books, .sex, .kids, .sucks, .wap, .xxx, .biz, .inc, .firm, .ebiz, .gay, .ecom, .dir, .web, .dubai, .game, .news, .shop, .law, .mobile, .museum, .nom, .pro, .tel and .union.
As of Tuesday, ICANN will enter a "quiet period" until Oct. 8, reviewing applications. After that, there will be a period of public comment from October 9-27 which will allow members of the general public, worldwide, to comment on the proposed domains.
Domain names are expected to be among the central issues in the elections for at-large positions on the ICANN board, taking place now.