What is wrong with the domain extension *.net?

Community
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This was the first big alternate to *.com, but it’s really never taken off. I mean it’s used, but does anyone actually like using it?

Does anyone have any idea why? Or any theories?

I’m not sure if it’s because I’m closer to web dev, but there are a lot better looking TLDs than *.net. It’s always felt like a cheap domain knockoff or something, a step above *.tk.

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Personally, I think it’s because it’s more “geekish” than .some of the more common ones that started out

  • .com can make the average user think of company
  • .org can make the average user think of organization
  • .edu can make the average user think of education
  • .biz routes to business (more how it’s pronounced then how it’s spelled)

.net routes to network, but that seems more towards IT than generic, every day usage. But that’s just me

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If I remember correctly, when the internet first became publicly popular the .net and .org TLDs were restricted to network and organizations (respectively) only. Don’t remember when they got rid of that aspect, but you’re right… .net never really gained the ubiquity of .com. Never really thought about it… but I would assume that it’s just because .com was so standard that it became the most popular TLD.

V/r,

:slight_smile:

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.org used to be restricted to non-profit organizations only (you used to have to submit paperwork to prove non-profit status)

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Yes, I think it’s just a quirk of history that .net got sidelined. Many times I’ve wanted a web address that’s available at .net but not .com, and it’s always like you’ve kind of missed the boat, as the .com address is the one people will look for by default.

It’s all kind of academic or psychological, though, as the search engines are so good that the domain name barely matters.

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I never thought about that, but the few places where I have thought .net worked have been networks. Social or other.

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Our public broadcaster here has a .net address when it could have had a .com address, but I assume they chose .net because .com would have sounded too commercial, when this is a free service. Not sure, but the .net address actually sounds better in this case.

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People think they’re not coroporate enough.

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