Tech Quiz: Internet Domain Names
Web domains have a much more interesting history than you might think. Test your knowledge here
Until a few years ago, chosing a domain name was quite simple. You’d take your brand, such as silicon, and apply for a ‘.com’, ‘.net’, ‘.org’ registration, or a country-specific one such as ‘.co.uk’.
But then ICANN thought it would be a good idea to open the floodgates and allow just about any word to become a generic Top Level Domain (gTLD).
There are even more localised suffixes such as ‘.london’, extensions for certain inudstries like ‘.travel’, and ones that help distinguish government services on ‘.gov’.
Domain name quiz
However there’s more to the history of domain names than just gTLDs.
Court cases have been fought over the most valuable web addresses, while companies of all sizes have stockpiled some interesting domains – possibly as a result of boredom or a marketing manager’s whim, but most likely because of fear of domain squatters.
Perhaps we should be grateful. After all, a minor typo could result in us being directed to a very different website, although this could be a thing of the past with the ‘.xxx’ suffix.
What do you know about the web addresses we type into our browser daily without a second thought? Do you know your ‘.biz’ from your ‘.info’?
Try our quiz!
