Country Code Domain Name Forum Launches
Monday, March 9th, 2009
Rick Latona launches ccTLD forum.
Domain name investor Rick Latona has launched a forum dedicated solely to the discussion of country code top level domain names. Fittingly, he bought a premier domain name for the forum: ccTLDs.com.
The forum includes separate sections for each of the major, non-commercialized top level domains (no .tv or .me here). It appears that Latona’s director of marketing Ray Neu (son of TRAFFIC co-founder Howard Neu) will be spearheading the forum along with Latona.
Latona is a big proponent and believer in country code top level domain names, although he became a convert only last year. His world travels taught him that there’s more than just .com. Latona spoke on a panel at Domainer Mardi Gras in New Orleans where he discussed his belief that ccTLDs have a future (if not a present).
Given the many intricacies and challenges of the ccTLD market, including some tlds with residency requirements, this forum could prove very valuable to people interested in the ccTLD market.
Latona is organizing a country code domain name-focused TRAFFIC conference in Amsterdam this June. Conference admission is $1795 if you register before April 15.
Related posts:
- Country Code Domain Name Auction Thursday Morning
- Where do Country Code Domain Names Go to Die?
- Countries Could Force Use of Country Code Domains
Tags: ccTLD, rick latona
Nice timing
Looks good so far.
Hi Andrew,
I saw .me extension.
Regards,
EM
You’re right, .me is there.
In Europe are CCtlds popular since start of the internet and the best CCtlds has been registered there since 1995~1997. Companies know if you do not have local tld you are fishy (unless you are big global company but still then). So Latona is like 12 years late to the game…
This new forum is to expose the popularity of ccTLDs to other investors. I have invested to .ph .cn .in and .mx extension.
I haven’t receive my email confirmation from the cctlds forum. Still waiting…
EM
.me is in the mix.
In other words, the only country code domain that is not allowed by chairman Rick is the .tv extension. Sounds rather strange not to have a legitimate country code extension specifically excluded from the “U.N.”. Kinda like ignoring the existence of Red China until President Nixon.
Nice, but one monkey don’t stop no show, as they say. The extension is continuing to fare rather nicely as of late and is also steadily continuing its climb without the guidance of the “fearless” leader.
But hey, have a great day at any rate.
.TV is tuvalu, why not include it?
CCTLDS is a community or what?
@ EM – 99% of .tv registrations are not for the people of Tuvalu.
I’m just curious, that’s how we define ccTLD?
Emil
EM – The point is .tv has been commercialized so it is no longer associated by most people with Tuvalu. Rick’s defining ccTLDs as domain names that mean something to the people of the country and that businesses of the country would but for their companies. .TV doesn’t fall into that category.
” The point is .tv has been commercialized…”
The fact is that .tv has been shut out of many auctions, godaddy abandoned it and Sedo doesn’t do to much to help the extension either.
“Rick’s defining ccTLDs as domain names that mean something to the people of the country…”
Like .me for Montenegro!(Bob parsons says it means me!, perfect for a domain to express yourself.) Commercialization, anyone?
Rick is certainly free to pull the wool over your eyes, not mine. I call his bluff on this as he seems to have other ulterior motive(s)that is not the “official” rationale that he feeds or tries to feed the consuming public. ‘Tis a pity, really, to be the only extension he so abhors that he would shut it out of the world community, again, like Red China in the UN once upon a time.
I wouldn’t read much into Rick not including .tv. I’m kind of surprised he included .me. For what he’s trying to accomplish — help people navigate the waters of country code domains — I wouldn’t include either .tv or .me.
Well said techno-evolution.
Something fishy going on, maybe business doesn’t work the way they want it.
IMHO if this is country code, then it should be included. Let the community decide not the operator. We are in this business together.
Cheers.
I rest my case and move on.
Big deal it’s missing. .NU is also missing, and many many more.
Oh I love .NU too
John, you’re 100% right. Big deal, indeed.
These sandbags that are placed doesn’t stop the tide from coming to shore.
Cheers and the best of luck and fortune to one and all of the extensions.
As EM@king.net before me, I also rest my case and move onward. Excelsior!
” 99% of .tv registrations are not for the people of Tuvalu.”
That’s because there aren’t any people in
Tuvalu- almost!
“That’s because there aren’t any people in
Tuvalu- almost!”
Exactly. So if you’re looking at the ccTLDs as a way for companies in a region to market themselves, .tv doesn’t make sense.
…and not unlike what the Western world did to Communist China in the 1950’s with the “Bamboo Curtain”, LaTona decides that .tv is not a legit country.
Well, the saying that one monkey don’t stop no show is apropros here. The extension will not be stopped by anybody wishing it would go away.
It won’t.