Close
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Video
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Subscribe
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Video
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Subscribe
    Home Cloud
    • Cloud

    Dot-Com Domain Turns 30 and Is Still Growing

    Written by

    Sean Michael Kerner
    Published March 17, 2015
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin

      eWEEK content and product recommendations are editorially independent. We may make money when you click on links to our partners. Learn More.

      After 30 years, the dot-com (.com) top-level domain (TLD) continues to dominate the Internet, but now faces more challengers than ever.

      On March 15, 1985, the very first dot-com domain was registered by Symbolics, a now defunct technology vendor. The symbolics.com domain itself is still alive and is now owned by virtual real estate firm xf.com. Although the first company to register a dot-com domain did not survive the last 30 years, the dot-com domain has prospered significantly beyond that first domain registered in 1985.

      As of Dec. 31, 2014, there were 115.6 million registered dot-com names, according to VeriSign’s fourth-quarter 2014 Domain Name Industry Brief (DNIB).

      VeriSign has managed the dot-com registry since 2000, when it acquired Network Solutions in a deal valued at $21 billion. VeriSign sold most of the Network Solutions business in 2003, but it continued to retain control of the dot-com registry, which is still managed by VeriSign today, under a deal with the Internet Cororation for Assigned Names and Numbers ICANN) that was last renewed in 2012.

      Back when Symbolics registered the very first dot-com, there was little domain choice. That’s no longer true in 2015. Though the dot-com TLD remains the largest domain based on the number of registered domains, there are other choices.

      VeriSign reported that there were 288 million domains registered across all TLDs at the end of 2014. After dot-com, the second most popular domain is dot-tk (.tk) which is the country code top-level domain (ccTLD) for Tokelau, a territory in New Zealand.

      As to why .tk is so popular, the reason is simple: It’s a domain that is available to anyone to register for free. The .tk TLD is operated by freenom with the aim of making money from expired domains and other services.

      The dot de (.de) ccTLD for Germany is in third place, followed by dot-net (.net) in fourth and dot-cn (.cn) from China in fourth.

      There has been a dramatic expansion in the availability of TLDs in the past few years. In 2011, there were only 22 TLDs from which to choose. In June 2011, ICANN approved a proposal to overhaul the TLD system, enabling a new era of generic TLDs (gTLDs).

      According to VeriSign, at the end of 2014, there were 478 new gTLDs, with 65 being delegated in the fourth quarter of 2014 alone. Among the most popular gTLDs are .xyz, .club and .berlin.

      All those new gTLDs represent new competition for dot-com, though I suspect that there is little for VeriSign to worry about. Simply put, dot-com has a 30 year head start in the domain business. While being the first mover is not always an advantage in technology, when it comes to branding, longevity and trust are always key attributes. For the past 30 years, dot-com has been the most dominant TLD on the Internet, and it’s the TLD that most Internet users are familiar with for the sites they use and visit every day.

      That’s not to say that the new gTLDs won’t gain traction and that dot-com’s dominance will last forever. The next 30 years of dot-com will be different, as organizations and users have more choice than ever when it comes to domains. As such, over the next 30 years, the true value of the enduring brand of dot-com will be measured.

      Sean Michael Kerner is a senior editor at eWEEK and InternetNews.com. Follow him on Twitter @TechJournalist.

      Sean Michael Kerner
      Sean Michael Kerner
      Sean Michael Kerner is an Internet consultant, strategist, and writer for several leading IT business web sites.

      Get the Free Newsletter!

      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

      Get the Free Newsletter!

      Subscribe to Daily Tech Insider for top news, trends & analysis

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Artificial Intelligence

      9 Best AI 3D Generators You Need...

      Sam Rinko - June 25, 2024 0
      AI 3D Generators are powerful tools for many different industries. Discover the best AI 3D Generators, and learn which is best for your specific use case.
      Read more
      Cloud

      RingCentral Expands Its Collaboration Platform

      Zeus Kerravala - November 22, 2023 0
      RingCentral adds AI-enabled contact center and hybrid event products to its suite of collaboration services.
      Read more
      Artificial Intelligence

      8 Best AI Data Analytics Software &...

      Aminu Abdullahi - January 18, 2024 0
      Learn the top AI data analytics software to use. Compare AI data analytics solutions & features to make the best choice for your business.
      Read more
      Latest News

      Zeus Kerravala on Networking: Multicloud, 5G, and...

      James Maguire - December 16, 2022 0
      I spoke with Zeus Kerravala, industry analyst at ZK Research, about the rapid changes in enterprise networking, as tech advances and digital transformation prompt...
      Read more
      Video

      Datadog President Amit Agarwal on Trends in...

      James Maguire - November 11, 2022 0
      I spoke with Amit Agarwal, President of Datadog, about infrastructure observability, from current trends to key challenges to the future of this rapidly growing...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2024 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.