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ICANN uses Kanji, can you?
ICANN, the entity responsible for the coordination of domain names and other unique Internet identifiers, is seeking multilingual volunteers to help test Internationalized Domain Names (IDNs).
Currently, top-level domain names, such as .com and .net, are limited to 37 characters: the letters A through Z, numerals 0 through 9, and the full stop. Many registrars already allow the use of local language characters for second-level domain names (everything before the final full stop). Eventually, IDNs will allow users to type full domain names using their local language. The IDN testing now being conducted addresses methods of converting the domain name example.test to 11 local languages.
IDNs are expected to facilitate Internet usage by billions of people not yet online. The availability of domain names in additional languages will present global businesses with new opportunities to extend their online presence. The change will also increase the complexity of policing and enforcing clients' rights in domain names and the trademarks they communicate.
For more information, see:
" ICANN's press release
" The IDN wiki
A recent Wall Street Journal article discussing the testing
" ICANN's press release
" The IDN wiki
A recent Wall Street Journal article discussing the testing
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