[Air-l] Re: if you can't lick 'em

[Ellis Godard]

Jonathan Sterne wrote:
> I guess the whole thing's fascinating
> because it's all about the politics of naming, since the named addresses
> are just devices so we don't have to remember numeric servers.

I had considered squatting on some domains about six years ago, but learned
that browser makers were beginning to hard-code triggers into the address
box. The standard convention had been that if "shoe" was entered in the
address box, browers would try "shoe.com" then "shoe.net" then "shoe.org"
etc. But Microsoft (for one) was trying to make money, charging (for
example) Keds so that "shoe" in the address box triggers "keds.com", "food"
triggers "kfc.com", etcetera. In short, named (much less bought and owned)
addresses seemed to be doomed to insignificance.

Whatever happened with that? Was MS asking/charging too much? Did no one buy
in (literally) to the idea? Are there some address codes/triggers that *are*
hard-coded, or was that dropped entirely?

- EG