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Examples
The multiplexed name concept is easy to
appreciate by comparing examples. In the tables
below we apply simple address redirecting to demonstrate
multiple use, but name registration in a format that
supports translation to/from the [name]*[number] format
is far more powerful.
It will always be preferable to support direct name
input on the address line without selecting it from a
link, list or table.
Multiplexing creates a hierarchy within second level
names, linking used in the examples below shows how
easily multiplexed names can be made available to
users who don't have a browser that supports
multiplexing.
Tim Berners-Lee, inventor of the World Wide
Web, wrote in his 1999 book Weaving the Web (ISBN 0-06-251586-1):
"There can be a Joe & Sons hardware
company in Bangor, Maine, and a Joe & Sons
fish restaurant in San Francisco.
But there can only be one joeandsons.com."
Addressing
has not improved since then. Was the
Internet supposed to be so limited?
Why
not:
Directory
of Joe and Sons* registrations
Domain
|
Owner
|
TM
|
Desc.
|
City
|
St.
|
Post
code
|
CC
|
Phone
area
|
joeandsons.com
|
anonymous,
for sale
|
|
price
- $5,799
|
|
|
|
|
|
joeandsons*1.com
|
Joe
& Sons
|
|
Hardware
retail
|
Bangor
|
ME
|
04401
|
US
|
202
|
joeandsons*2.com
|
Joe
& Sons
|
|
Fish
restaurant
|
San
Francisco
|
CA
|
94111
|
US
|
415
|
In this example, only the link with
a colored
background would require a browser
extension or mobile app with multiplexing
functionality to work in native fashion.
- - -
More
realistic examples
- multiplexed Johnson registrations:
In
the directory list below, the first four links
lead to real addresses and work with a standard
browser - we have employed redirecting for *1
thru *3.
The
Johnson sites *4 through *8 are fictitious - the
list was created only for demonstration and does
not represent real companies.
Note the johnson.com domain, created in 1997 but
parked for many years, blocks all other potential
users of that common name under the .com
TLD. Other 'real' johnson registrations -
.biz, .net, .org, .info, and .us have also been
parked for many years.
Since
users have largely rejected ICANN's ngTLDs, we
should identify name monopolization as an attack
on Internet growth and development.
Developments
in AI may return 'content' to its predominant
place and relegate domain names to footnotes.
Directory
of Johnson* registrations
Domain
|
Owner
|
TM
|
Desc.
|
City
|
St.
|
Post
code
|
CC
|
Phone
area
|
johnson.com
|
Bombardier
Recreational
Products, Inc
|
®
|
Parked
domain
|
|
|
H3E 1T5
|
CA
|
514
|
johnson*1.com
-
redirects
|
SC
Johnson,
a family company since 1886
|
®
|
Makers
of Windex, Pledge, Off!, Raid, Ziploc and
other cleaning and home care products
|
Racine
|
WI
|
53403
|
US
|
800
|
johnson*2.com
- redirects
|
Johnson
Woolen Mills, Inc.
|
®
|
Vermont
woolen mill est. 1842
|
Johnson
|
VT
|
05656
|
US
|
802
|
johnson*3.com -
redirects
|
Johnson
Laminating
and Coating, Inc.
|
®
|
Custom
chemical
coating and laminating on a variety of
substrates
|
Carson
|
CA
|
90745
|
US
|
310
|
johnson*4.com
|
Sven Johnson Painting |
|
Painting - homes, barns and
outbuildings |
Roseau
|
MN
|
56751
|
US
|
218
|
johnson*5.com
|
Johnson
the Florist
|
|
Cut
flowers, potted plants, corsages and
bouquets, office plants
|
Cincinnati
|
OH
|
45202
|
US
|
513
|
johnson*6.com
|
Johnson
County Choppers
|
|
Motorcycles,
accessories
and clothing
|
Buffalo
|
WY
|
82834
|
US
|
307
|
johnson*7.com
|
Johnson,
THE Pittsburgh painter
|
|
Painting
and decorating
|
Pittsburgh
|
PA
|
15219
|
US
|
214
|
johnson*8.com
|
JK
Johnson shoes LLP
|
|
Retail
shoes and boots
|
Savannah
|
GA
|
31401
|
US
|
912
|
johnson.biz
|
anonymous
|
|
parked
domain
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
johnson.net
|
anonymous
|
|
parked
domain
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
johnson.org
|
Tucows.com
|
|
email
server for 'Johnson'
|
Toronto
|
ON
|
M6K 3M1
|
CA
|
416
|
johnson.info
|
Bombardier
Recreational
Products, Inc
|
®
|
parked
domain
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
CA
|
-
|
johnson.us
|
Bombardier
Recreational
Products, Inc
|
®
|
parked
domain
|
-
|
-
|
-
|
CA
|
-
|
johnson.edu
|
Johnson
College
|
|
Technical
College
|
Scranton
|
PA
|
18508
|
US
|
570
|
Notes:
- Any public or third party directory
would presumably list domain names in the
name*number format, but redirect the names in
HTML to the 'native' registration format.
This would allow anyone, with any browser,
to select any name from the list to access a
site - there would be no inaccessible 'colored
background' names.
The combined URL address line/search field in
modern browsers already supports the Multiplexed
Name concept.
Typing names into the browser address line in
'name*number.tld' format would require a browser
upgrade, extension, or app.
If you don't have the necessary software, you
can always type the 'native' address
format into your browser address line.
The
native format used for this demonstration is
'mlx--[name]--[number]'
- The address to site:
www.johnson*8.com would actually
be http://www.mlx--johnson--8.com.
- An
edge application translates this into the
'name*number' format that is shorter and easier
to handle.
- Logically
the identity of the original (non-enumerated)
registrant should be considered [name]*0.tld.
This means the browser should identify
johnson*0.com as johnson.com.
- Web
sites for our two multiplexed JoeAndSons sites are
fictitious and used for demonstration purposes
only.
- The
table information provided for each fictitious
domain name is also fictitious (of course) but
demonstrates a reasonable extension of the search
(which Johnson) concept.
A standardized registration format and name
repetition make it relatively simple to create
name-based directories.
Current browser address line functions
automatically present a 'directory' list, allowing
users to search for 'which Johnson' or validate
site ownership while browsing.
'Anonymous' or 'not given' may be legitimate
entries since they also give the user pertinent
information.
- Telephone
area codes may be preferable to full numbers to
help users search for a company or service while
protecting the listed company from telephone
overload – one reason for publishing a web site to
begin with. In the tables 'St.' means State
and 'CC' means Country Code, the country where the
business is headquartered.
This is a test
Our
solution is not offered as a supported product, we
want to demonstrate how the Internet domain name
system can evolve to eliminate the current,
unnecessary naming restrictions. Similar
functionality could be added to any browser.
Last updated August 1, 2023
W. Kenneth Ryan
|