Um.whatever

摘要

I cann, the obscure group that metes out Internet addresses, has an uncanny ability to stir up controversy. The current plan of the Internet Corp. for Assigned Names & Numbers, approved in June, is to allow custom domain names to anyone who asks for one. Addresses ending in com or org will be passe. By the middle of next year applicants will be able to register everything from ".soup" to ".nuts."rnBut what is being billed as manifest destiny for Internet commerce is going to cause big headaches all around. A brand name in the address bar would be a lovely calling card for the Web scammers who set up fraudulent sites to trick people into giving up credit card numbers. "Itrncertainly has the potential to make things more confusing," says Symantec security expert Ben D. Greenbaum.rnBrand protection costs will go up. Generic extensions like .cellphone and .beverage will be up for grabs, forcing companies to register every possible relevant variation on their Web brands. Cybersquatters will try to grab these sites first and sell ads on them or try to shake down trademark holders for the site rights. The Coalition Against Domain Name Abuse, a business lobby, estimates that defensive domain name registration will cost businesses upwards of $1.6 billion.