No matter how well you do domain hack, ICANN defined top label domain name (TLDn) is still adequate and does not reflect uniqueness. It’s estimated that only 17 percent of the original four billion domain addresses remain, and will be depleted in the next five years. So the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), a non-profit organization that oversees the Internet’s top-level domains, planning to open up registration of generic top-level domains (gTLD) to anyone who can afford it. Imagine reaching the Apple store at an .apple or .mac Web address, or finding auctions on .ebay. Certainly a lot of we are looking forward to ICANN’s decision to vote on a motion that would allow generic top name domains to be opened up to a mass of alternatives.

For the last few years, businesses, organizations, and the general public have been paying a few dollars per year for a domain name under one of the more popular web suffixes including .com, .net, .org. But if ICANN votes in favour of a new policy, those who can afford to pay around 30k to 350k for a top level domain will be able to register their own dot suffix.

Well if you are a spammer or crook planning on something, if the high price don’t discourage you there is some other issues too. ICANN considered this kind of possibility may rise, so ICANN is setting up guidelines and plans to review applications to prevent any abuses like trademark infringement, which is why the organization may also require a business plan/registration in addition to the hefty fee. Well nothing definite yet, what will be the guidelines are? Guess soon we will know about that.

If the new vote goes in favour of ICANN’s proposal, companies will be able to use their names as top level domains (such as .ebay, or .msn), cities such as Milan and New York to have .milan or .ny become available. On the contrary to existing gTLD’s any personal use will be restricted, to avoid abuses.

According to AFP news, by 2009 top level domain extensions like .bank, .tech, .love, .hate or .city will be added to the existing 20 generic top-level domains available, and may even introduce domains in different character sets for  Arabic or Chinese web addresses.

If ICANN can swim ashore after battling political, cultural complexity, this new proposed TLD system will opens up new possibility, hack I am guessing even new hype,domain selling business and new .com .company/.brand boom. Can’t imagine what .iphone or .google or .windows will cost