John R. Levine wrote:
:-) and I wish you could accept the reality than the use of domain names as addresses for content are substantially more accessible and descriptive than a subpage on GeoCities.
Ripped from recent news is this example: http://www.NoMoreJoeWilson.com,
Yes, that would be the myth, that a freshly purchased 2LD is somehow required to put up a useful web site. Surely we don't have to explain to you why that's not true.
It's not *necessarily* true, but it can be. Take this particular case, which strangely enough appears to be a good example.
Just out of curiosity, did you find that web site by typing NoMoreJoeWilson into your browser, or did you find it some other way?
I did Google searches for "Joe Wilson" and "no more Joe Wilson". The above-mentioned website doesn't show up, not in the first page of hits or the first 10 pages -- drowned out by news reports of Mr. Wilson's saying "no more apologies". I held my nose and tried the same searches at Bing -- same result. So I suspect that most people who got to www.NoMoreJoeWilson.com got there by typing it in. And having a catchy name like that would have been easier to remember -- and type in -- than http://www.commiepinkoblogger.com/nomorejoewilson.html Now, having said that, I still mostly agree with John. The speed/ease with which one can get one's own web identity is not a free-speech issue. *Most* sites can be found in the browser bar. But nomorejoewilson.com is a viable counter-example in which a catchy site name can compensate for lousy SEO. I personally believe in an approval process for registrants -- having been registered, with accurate and legitimate contact info, you can then buy as much as you want as fast as you can get it. Those wanting anonymity for second level names can request it, but that facility would be restricted to individuals and certain classes of agencies, handled in much the same way that phone companies handle unlisted phone numbers and blocked caller-ID. You'd still have to have valid contact info -- accessible to the legal system -- but your registrar would be entitled to block it from public access. Of course, this approach has been raised many times before, it's handly original. But it still seems to me to be something worth advocating. - Evan