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| Domain Name registrations in Top 20 gTLDs (Aug 2014) |
In the Domain Name System (DNS) naming of computers there is a hierarchy of names. The root of system is unnamed. There are a set of what are called "top-level domain names" (TLDs). These are the generic TLDs (EDU, COM, NET, ORG, GOV, MIL, and INT), and the two letter country codes from ISO-3166. It is extremely unlikely that any other TLDs will be created. -- Jon Postel, RFC1592 (1994)The generic top-level domain (gTLD) name .COM is the largest, most recognized, and most widely adopted top-level domain (TLD) in the Domain Name System of the Internet. Its name is derived from the word commercial, indicating its original intended purpose for domains registered by commercial organizations--however, many years ago gTLDs .com, .org and .net were opened for unrestricted registration. The domain .COM today is operated by the Internet's Root Zone Maintainer, Verisign Inc. (verisigninc.com). Domain Name registrations in .COM are processed via registrars accredited by ICANN (see also: Ways to 'buy' your domain name). The .COM registry accepts internationalized domain names. The domain .COM was one of the original top-level domains (TLDs) in the Internet when the Domain Name System was implemented in January 1985. .COM is often referred to as the world's global gold standard among Top-Level Domains. Excerpt from Verisign's announcement--
"Sunday, March 15, 2015, marks 30 years since the first .COM domain name -- Symbolics.com -- was registered, and the Internet and world as we know it changed forever. VeriSign, Inc. (NASDAQ: VRSN), a global leader in domain names and Internet security, and the authoritative registry operator of .COM, is celebrating the 30th anniversary of .COM and the remarkable impact it has had on the economy and culture. In the last 30 years, the Internet has evolved from an unknown phenomenon used primarily by academics and researchers to a global communication, commerce and information sharing channel that few could imagine life without; in fact, nearly three billion people around the world are online today, and more than $300 billion in U.S. e-commerce sales and over $1.3 trillion in global e-commerce sales rely on the Internet. As the Internet has evolved and grown, .COM has grown alongside it. .COM websites are accessed trillions of times each day. Companies use .COM's global recognition and brand appeal to grow their businesses and reach customers worldwide.
"Millions of entrepreneurs have realized their dreams by building their businesses online with .COM, and the biggest names in business have branded their business with a .COM address, making .COM synonymous with the Internet. From Amazon.com, which registered its domain name in 1994, and Google, which registered Google.com as a domain name in 1997, to small and mid-sized businesses... .COM is the global online standard for doing business. .COM addresses are your best choice for making your online identity recognizable, easily found and trusted on the global Internet. ".COM is more than just an address. It's a globally recognized and respected brand itself that nearly every major global brand, including 100 percent of the Fortune 500, has entrusted with their online presence," said Jim Bidzos, executive chairman, president and chief executive officer at Verisign. ".COM turning 30 represents a shared milestone for us all and a celebration worth commemorating." While Internet growth and adoption has been primarily concentrated in North America for the last 30 years, today, Internet users in North America account for 19 percent of the total number of Internet users globally. As global Internet adoption and growth is accelerating outside of North America, .COM's global brand appeal, instant recognizability and rapid growth in overseas markets illustrates .COM's growth in parallel with Internet adoption."
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