Navigating around the Internet using the Keyword system

When it comes to navigating your way around the Internet the devaluation of top level domains is one of the biggest problems facing our current Internet system. Top level domains, or TLDs, are those "endings" you choose when registering a domain name. For instance, ABC has registered a domain name of "abc.com.au". As you can see, the name has .com as a part of its suffix or ending. The ABC also owns a domain name with a different ending, "abc.net.au." If it wanted to it could have probably also registered the name "abc.org.au".

If you were trying to navigate your way to the ABC site you would need to either guess at what the domain name might be or try different "endings" and country designators, the ".au" bit, until you hit upon the site. Alternatively you could use a search engine and risk sifting through literally hundreds or thousands of responses to find the home site.

The answer to these difficulties in navigation is said to be in the new "keywords" systems.

If they are so much trouble why have domains with different endings?

There was a time when the endings used to mean something. In fact, they could be incredibly helpful to understand the origin and backing of a web site. For instance, the ".org" TLD used to be reserved for non-profit organisations. Only non-profits could register a name ending in .org, and users going to sites with this ending could be fairly well assured that they were non-commercial in nature.

Today, this is no longer the case. Anyone may register a .org, regardless of his or her non-profit status. In fact, some domain registrars (those organisation in charge of registering domains) and others encourage companies to register .org addresses, as well as the .net TLDs, which used to be reserved for companies involved with Internet network operations. The pitch is to "protect" yourself against other companies getting your name with these alternative endings.

Similarly, .com has become the TLD that everyone wants, regardless of whether it is appropriate. That's because with the growth of commercial sites on the web, many surfers assume that all sites must end in .com. Looking for ABC? Just slap a .com on the end of their name, and you'll find them. The broadcasting group no doubt realised users might look for it by adding a .com to its name, and so registered a domain with that ending to ensure it could be found.

Likewise, the US White House surely must regret that it never registered whitehouse.com in addition to the proper whitehouse.gov address that it currently uses. That failure meant a porn site was able to get whitehouse.com, which comes as a surprise to many who arrive there.

So who actually owns a domain name?

There can only be one mcdonalds.com, even if there are several companies that hold trademarks that seemingly would entitle them to the address. Who ultimately gets ownership of a .com address has led to plenty of disputes and lawsuits, and there are no signs that these are diminishing. This is especially so because no one tries to resolve problems before domains are registered. Instead, it's a free-for-all. Anyone can register a name, and complaints are dealt with after the fact.

Rather than exert preemptive control, the current thinking is to simply introduce new TLDs, such as .firm for businesses or .rec for recreationally oriented organisations. It's an absurd solution. We've already seen how existing TLDs are perverted and how companies are encouraged to register every ending available. The introduction of new TLDs will only cause companies to spend more money on names they do not need, while users will be poorly served because the classifications will inevitably be ignored.

In even more craziness, even country-specific TLDs can be twisted away from their original purpose. In early April, the Pacific Island country of Tuvalu has sold the rights to its country-specific domain of .tv to a private company, in a deal worth at least $50 million over the next ten years.

What is the alternative to guessing the Internet address?

In terms of navigation on the Internet, the domain name system is a mess, and I don't see hope on the horizon except in the form of Keywords. In Keywords, we have an alternative system for reaching web sites that can potentially avoid the problems that the domain name system has suffered.

For one, names are subject to review before being approved. That allows potential conflicts with trademarks to be spotted before the fact, not afterwards. Moreover, if several companies seem to have an equal claim to a particular name, then usually no single company can own it. For instance, the keyword "alpine" would list several sites relevant for that keyword, rather than trying to take you to just one.

Another real benefit is that names can be regionally specific. If you were to enter "Ford" into AltaVista, then click on a keyword link that appears you would be taken to Ford's Australian web site. In contrast, if I enter "Ford" into UKMax.com, a UK-specific search engine, the keyword link would take you to Ford's UK web site. It's the same word, "Ford," but because my location is known, I'm directed to the correct regional location.

What about other languages?

Another plus is that unlike the domain name system, keywords do not have to be in Latin-characters.

Overall, the keyword approach is a much more intelligent, equitable and better managed system than the current domain name system. I don't see it as an immediate threat to the primacy of .com, but it is well positioned to take over in the future.

How would someone actually use "keywords" in their browser?

A future approach would to, enter "ABC" into say,Internet Explorer version 5's address box, and your browser would split into two windows. If you had, for instance typed in "abc", on the right, the ABC web site would automatically load. On the left, you would be shown a list of web sites. Other sites such, as ABCstereo.com might also be shown, in case you wanted these instead.

Similarly, try entering the names of other companies or web sites that you are trying to reach into IE5's address box. You'll probably be surprised to discover how successfully for example the "RealNames" system would get you to the right location. Certainly if you enter "white house," you'll arrive at the US White House site, not a porn site.

What is the difference using this approach as opposed to "searching"?

Sometimes users want to "navigate" to a particular web site, such as MP3.com. Other times, they want to search for several possible web sites, such as places that offer MP3 files. These are completely different goals, yet they may involve the same keyword, "mp3." If RealNames were to allow only a single web site to be found for a generic / categorical term like this, then those with search expectations might be confused.

Also, companies with strong brand names that are also categorical may be granted these terms. Amazon and Apple are both examples where their names are generic in nature and which might also be used by other companies. It's hard to argue that most Internet users would not expect to reach Amazon.com or Apple.com.

Is this really only another type of search engine?

At the moment, it seems as if companies like RealNames partners are helping provide a balance. Since most of them are search services, there's pressure that the RealNames system resolves addresses in a way consistent with what their users expect

You'll also hear RealNames make mention of its system being based on "open standards." The reference here is to how the RealNames system and other alternative web addressing systems, or "namespaces," work technically. The goal is to make them compatible with each other. The standards being developed have absolutely nothing to do with how names are assigned.

Is this the end of the domain name system, as we know it?

The domain name system isn't going away immediately, but like the dinosaurs, I think it will slowly become extinct. In its place will be namespaces, which we'll use to navigate the web.

Sound unbelievable? Before there were domain names, we used IP addresses to reach information on the Internet. In fact, IP addresses still underlie everything on the web. The ABC web site is really at http://202.6.74.88/ even though we type in www.abc.net.au.

The domain name system evolved to save us from having to remember these numbers. We simply enter ABC.net.au into our browsers, then they communicate with a DNS server that routes us to the right IP address. In the same way, the namespace systems are evolving to save us from the confusing DNS system. Going forward, we'll enter "ABC" into our browser, then the namespace system will resolve it behind the scenes to a domain name, delivering us to our destination.

Arthur Hissey
Computer Research & Technology
www.crt.net.au