IDNs “not for the current users, but for the next billion”.

[bwhhisc]

Another article that once again fails to mention that IDNs are live and working today...

http://iheni.wordpress.com/2007/10/12/domain-names-go-international/

QUOTE: Experts predict that while take up will be slow, ICANN doesn’t expect working addresses in the new languages
to be available until the end of next year, this will have a huge impact on the estimated 5 billion people who are not
on the Internet and who come up against the barrier of language - just one aspect of the digital divide.

As Paul Hoffman, a Santa Cruz, Calif.-based programmer who created the standards behind the internationalized domain
names said the new names “are not for the current users, but for the next billion”. This has been echoed by an Egyptian
Minister who says that in Egypt about seven million people, or 10% of the population, use the internet. Most of
these users are well-educated and speak at least some English. To get the next 10% of the population online, however,
having domain names in Arabic is critical. END QUOTE

[555]

For the next billion or billionaire?

миллиардер.com just regged...(a drop) and миллиардеры.com so i am ready.

[jacksonm]

Same old story from ICANN. It's become apparent they only want to roll out new IDN.IDN gTLD extensions and are being forced to alias ccTLDs.

Well, my developed IDNs are getting heavy amounts of search traffic today. Even the educated and english speaking users of today don't search for "al marefah", they search for "المعرفة".

Politics and censorship will kill Arab controlled gTLDs as well as they have effectively prevented the uptake of Arabic ccTLDs.

.

[Rubber Duck]

Not quite sure where you get all this.

Effectively ICANN board have delegated the important parts of the process to Verisign and few like minded gTLD registries, on the understanding that they have to consult with everyone else, and gain board approval before proceeding.

Why does everyone seem to think that is so threatening? If they actually spelled out what is happening in capital letters, like you lot seem to want it, they would risk putting the mockers on the whole process.

Chill out. Either buy in the market and wait, or sit it out like a wall-flower. Your choice!

[touchring]

Another article that once again fails to mention that IDNs are live and working today...

http://iheni.wordpress.com/2007/10/12/domain-names-go-international/

QUOTE: Experts predict that while take up will be slow, ICANN doesn’t expect working addresses in the new languages
to be available until the end of next year, this will have a huge impact on the estimated 5 billion people who are not
on the Internet and who come up against the barrier of language - just one aspect of the digital divide.

As Paul Hoffman, a Santa Cruz, Calif.-based programmer who created the standards behind the internationalized domain
names said the new names “are not for the current users, but for the next billion”. This has been echoed by an Egyptian
Minister who says that in Egypt about seven million people, or 10% of the population, use the internet. Most of
these users are well-educated and speak at least some English. To get the next 10% of the population online, however,
having domain names in Arabic is critical. END QUOTE


I don't get this. if you can use the computer, surely you can read the ABC on the keyboards? Can't imagine anyone using the PC and can't read the keys! :o

[jacksonm]

If they actually spelled out what is happening in capital letters, like you lot seem to want it, they would risk putting the mockers on the whole process.

Isn't that called transparency?

.

[Rubber Duck]

I don't get this. if you can use the computer, surely you can read the ABC on the keyboards?

That is the power of single characters.

Actually formulating them into words, however, can be tricky!

Isn't that called transparency?

.

If they try to satisfy everyone's aspirations or even convince them of the need to do it their way the process will take forever. The best they can hope for is limited consensus and rapid implementation. Transparency is unlikely to help their cause. It is being perceived to be transparent that is important.

[bwhhisc]

I don't get this. if you can use the computer, surely you can read the ABC on the keyboards? Can't imagine anyone using the PC and can't read the keys! :o

It's the other 90% we want to invite to the party. :)

[touchring]

It's the other 90% we want to invite to the party. :)


Well, they already got the solution, using numeric urls, like 30.com, 15.com, etc.

[IDNCowboy]

Well, they already got the solution, using numeric urls, like 30.com, 15.com, etc.
gotta love my sig

[Bruins]

How would you set up IDN website?

1and1 wouldn't even let you set up a hosting for them.

[touchring]

gotta love my sig


Bottomline is IDNs are not required for the next billion to access the Internet.

I've heard enough of those crappy propaganda like IDN will allow those pygmies living in the jungle to access the internet?

Eh...wait, do pygmies have a written language?

[jacksonm]

How would you set up IDN website?

1and1 wouldn't even let you set up a hosting for them.


You just host the punycode domain. Don't try to enter the unicode domain!

.

[alexd]

What I find stupid about comments like "not for the current users, but for the next billion" is that IDNs ARE working now.

What these guys who keep making comments like this relate to is for users to actually type in the domain name to visit the site.

What about developed IDNs that rank extremely high in the search engines, and require nothing more than a user simply typing in a keyword in their search engines and then clicking away ??

A few 1 page Greek IDN sites that I developed a year or so ago have had over 7000 unique visitors. One in particular is a .net - so the chances of someone typing in that to find the site are very slim. But through the search engines, visitors can find my sites without having to change from one language to another when searching online.

Alex

[touchring]

What I find stupid about comments like "not for the current users, but for the next billion" is that IDNs ARE working now.


IDN.com or IDN.net in the eyes of ICANN and most people is not "real IDN".

Don't forget, the extra billion people (such as the pymies living in the jungles) can't type ABC!

[Rubber Duck]

Dot Com is the biggest brand on the planet period. By comparison Coca Cola is just sugary water!

Well, they already got the solution, using numeric urls, like 30.com, 15.com, etc.

Yes, but the f*cked heads cannot do the Maths. There are only 1000 three numerical domain names. Add in the other 110 for single and double characters. How the f*ck does that get a Billion people online? The only alternative is to use 18 digit IPv6 addresses, and then append dot TEL to them!

Bottomline is IDNs are not required for the next billion to access the Internet.

I've heard enough of those crappy propaganda like IDN will allow those pygmies living in the jungle to access the internet?

Eh...wait, do pygmies have a written language?

Well as much of the next billion will come on via Opera Mini and the Firefox equivalent using legacy mobile phone technology. Yes, they will. Maybe they didn't have a written language but most of them have been transcribed into IPA.

[touchring]

Dot Com is the biggest brand on the planet period. By comparison Coca Cola is just sugary water!



Yes, but the f*cked heads cannot do the Maths. There are only 1000 three numerical domain names. Add in the other 110 for single and double characters. How the f*ck does that get a Billion people online? The only alternative is to use 18 digit IPv6 addresses, and then append dot TEL to them!



Well as much of the next billion will come on via Opera Mini and the Firefox equivalent using legacy mobile phone technology. Yes, they will. Maybe they didn't have a written language but most of them have been transcribed into IPA.


Mobile phones with keyboards on them? The PC costs less - you can get one for $250 with pirated XP.

[Rubber Duck]

Mobile phones with keyboards on them? The PC costs less - you can get one for $250 with pirated XP.

Yes but not necessarily very practical if you are miles from the nearest fixed line.

Most African countries are not using cables, but microwave transmission. Mobile phones are generally going to be a more practical connection option.

Beside many of the phones in question will be under $50.

[jacksonm]

Mobile phones with keyboards on them? The PC costs less - you can get one for $250 with pirated XP.


Understand that a good portion of the next billion do not have electricity at their dwelling - Africa, Haiti, etc.

I watched a document just two days ago about a mobile operator who came into Haiti and they put charging stations here and there, a panel on a wall next to a train stop or bus station with 36 low-amp electric sockets. The CEO said she doesn't care if people who own competitor's phones are using her charging stations. They are there simply because there is no mobile market when people can't charge their phones.

.

[touchring]

Understand that a good portion of the next billion do not have electricity at their dwelling - Africa, Haiti, etc.

I watched a document just two days ago about a mobile operator who came into Haiti and they put charging stations here and there, a panel on a wall next to a train stop or bus station with 36 low-amp electric sockets. The CEO said she doesn't care if people who own competitor's phones are using her charging stations. They are there simply because there is no mobile market when people can't charge their phones.

.


Didn't sojme company in india designed a laptop computer that has a battery charging turn handle?

[jacksonm]

Didn't sojme company in india designed a laptop computer that has a battery charging turn handle?

If they don't have electricity, they certainly won't have a fixed line network connection.

Besides, who wants to carry a laptop around with them? The mobile internet is the future.

.

[Rubber Duck]

No vested interest there then!

[jacksonm]

No vested interest there then!

:-)

.

[bwhhisc]

Besides, who wants to carry a laptop around with them? The mobile internet is the future.

Probably implants right into your eyelids and ear canals with the screens and hardware disguised as piercing jewelry. :o

[Drewbert]

Understand that a good portion of the next billion do not have electricity at their dwelling - Africa, Haiti, etc.
.

Or credit cards.

[Rubber Duck]

Or credit cards.

Maybe not but phone payments are just around the corner!

Anyway, I remember people saying all that about Japan!