The .NGO Top-Level Domain

dotNGO, the project to establish and run the new generic Top Level Domain for the charity and NGO community is working with Public Interest Registry – the .org people.

Together they are working on the community bid to run .NGO. dotNGO was set up in 2008 to campaign for and promote the launch of a secure gTLD exclusively for the NGO sector. Until 2011 there was only a commercial initiative available (set up by dotNGO and partnered by another back-end registry provider) to apply for the domain as a “standard” or commercial application.

This commercial bid was backed by funding from an investors who saw commercial value in adding the domain to their proposed portfolio of applications. The dotNGO project as an organisation was not eligible to stand as a Community Applicant under the ICANN rules stating that the applicant for a community bid must be a pre-existing community member and not an organisation set up in response to the opening of the new gTLD space. dotNGO was of course set up in response to the ICANN process opening in mid 2008. 

In 2011 the campaign among NGO community members was taken up by Public Interest registry – who run the .org domain. dotNGO is now working exclusively with the community bid and PIR to make sure that the .NGO gTLD is a success, and rests in the hands of the NGO community themselves.

www.dotNGO.net is the project’s website.

New gTLDs events and Timeline: the WHEN question

There are many questions on the ICANN new gTLD program at the moment: many members of the new gTLD community start to wonder not "if" but "when" their application will see the day. Topics of the moment are:

1. The Clarifying question;
2. The Trademark ClearingHouse (...);
3. Objections and change requests;
4. Public comments;
5. Batching.

There are probably many others but these are the one I keep an eye on at the moment.

I have been talking to a few "future" Registrants recently and there is one question that comes back frequently: "when can I buy a new domain name?"

Well, I am sorry but I do not have this answer and with the ICANN new gTLD program delays, I doubt no one can have an answer to that question.

But, part of his answer can be found down this page on the ICANN web site and in English (fot those who understand how to read it): http://newgtlds.icann.org/en/ but again, I am sorry to say that it does not tell much so I checked around and read the Com Laude Newsletter dated September 2012. Page 3 is their version of the new timetable and the processes involved.

Once again, the content of the Newsletter is a must read for anyone who needs an update on the ICANN new gTLD program but I strongly suggest to read page 3 to have a better visibility of the WHEN question.

What are the Clarifying Questions?

LinkedIn "New gTLDs" group to reach 900 members

A Milestone is reached today, the "new generic Top-Level Domains" group on LinkedIn reaches 900 members.

To join, click here: http://www.linkedin.com/groups/New-generic-TopLevel-Domains-1840166

Top new gTLD discussions of the moment

These discussions were opened recently on LinkedIn:

• Any new generic Top-Level for sale? More here.
• New gTLD application change request process and criteria. More here.
• Here are the first four new gTLD applications that have been withdrawn (isenbergondomains.com). More here.
• TLDH (a new gTLD company) wants to unmask mystery gTLD commenter. More here.

Reminder: a free subscription to LinkedIn is required.

The .museum Top-Level Domain's potential

I support the .museum Top-Level Domain and prepared a presentation I would like to share. The article which introduces the presentation was posted on Circle ID.

Please read the article on CircleId.