DNS = IDN ? Did it happen?

[raf]

I must admit i don't quite understand it, but i read in the paper (you know, these static kinda ultrathin screens) that from today on, the characterset for domainnames has been expanded. Even with & and umlauts and all sorts of weird accents.
There seems to be some truth in it:

http://www.switch.ch/id/idn/

I tried it out in a domainsearch but it didn't seem to go. Anyone knows more about this? Anyone planning on registering PHP&mySQL.com or something like that?

[Nightfire]

heh, wonder who'll get m$n.com or micro$oft first. I've not heard about it being launched or if any registrars are taking this on, yet

[mordred]

I have heard about this mainly from the registrar that handles all domain issues for the company I work at. They offered pre-registration of these umlaut domains. I don't believe they will run very good, maybe comparable to the dominance of .com-domains versus .us-domains. People are used to transscribe native domain names, but I can see the added value. Expect some really funky domain names for uber-cool nerds coming up in the next time.

What is quite funny is that we had a request for one domain with native characters "straكenreinigung.de". "Straكe" is german for street. Unfortunately the ك character is not on the list of available characters. Oh the irony...

[raf]

hmm. since microsoft already has an i-Nav plugin to allow the use of IDN, i don't think you could snatch it from under their noses.
whois return an 'invalid character used' (as it also does for the &), and according to godaddy, all domains with exotic characters in it seams to already have been taken (salt&pepper, high&low, adam&eve) --> probably a bug

As far as i understand, still not all characters would be available ($?) but an o with a slash through (o/) would be. so maybe micro/so/ft.com ?

Expect some really funky domain names for uber-cool nerds coming up in the next time

über-cool.de is mine !!

[mordred]

Maybe even cِdingfِrüms.com? Or cّdingfّrums.com? ROFL!

[raf]

LOL

I don't believe they will run very good, maybe comparable to the dominance of .com-domains versus .us-domains.

I can see your point.
Besides, i for one, don't even know how to get the 'o/' so domainholders using these native characters can only target native speakers ...unless they register both the native and transscribed domainname. (which they probably will need to do anyway , to avoid that someone else would register the transcribed version and 'steels' some/most of the trafic. It 's not getting any easier ...)

[Kiwi]

New Zealand has .geek.nz as a second level domain. Here's a story on their proposal, which was successful.

[scroots]

as someone said you can only user native characters with native people. if you bout www.php&mysql.com i think it would be difficult to promote your websiter as it is obscure. You can't tell a friend easily over the phone as they may go to www.phphandmysql.com

is mysql a trademark along with php?

scroots

[liorean]

From <http://www.mysql.com/company/trademark.html>:
C. Internet Domain Names.

No third party may register or attempt to register an Internet domain name that includes "MySQL" or any of the MySQL AB Marks or any marks that are confusingly similar to the MySQL AB Marks. in a way that is detrimental, i.e., harmful or damaging, to the value of any of the MySQL Marks, or to MySQL AB, its brand integrity, reputation or goodwill, as determined by MySQL AB in its sole discretion.