biz question: calling all domainers
 

with the skyrocketing prices of traditional TLD domains (.com, .net, etc.), people are turning towards more creative domains alternative using non-traditional TLD's... eg. del.icio.us, bla.st, etc.

my question is, how safe/secure is it to buy, use and base a business on these TLD's... (of course this is assuming the TLD permits foreigners or those "without a presence in the country" to buy in the first place)

my fear is you build up some big ass site and if the TLD governing body for whatever reason pulls the plug on you, gets nuked, gets invaded, whatever.. what happens? can ICANN do anything for you? do you have any recourse?

bump for some answers

We'll all be forced into using .xxx soon enough since ICM has sooo much industry support, so none of this will matter! :)

Good luck getting answers.

Skyrocketing prices????

I still get .coms for $6

as far as your question goes, I think you're safe with most country TLD designations as long as you comply with the rules for that extension.

For example, a non us based company or individual would lose a .us domain if caught. Just read the terms.

.Com will always be the supreme ruler.

Now my reasoning behind that...

We are conditioned to type .com. It's normal. I mean look at .net, when is the last time you consciously typed in .net after a name?

Even most foreign countries go to .com's before there own TLD's.

.com has become synonymous with websites, just like Kleenex is with tissues.

-=Chipmunk=-

By and large the alternate extensions are safe.

I've had problems with .it in the past. We were looking into developing an affiliate stats tracking system and wanted to call it pursu.it but after a month of dealing with the italian registrar, we gave up on the name. They have no clue whats going on over there...