XXX

As you probably know, they (the powers that be) are rolling out a new TLD, the aptly named .xxx. The idea being that the adult industry can pop over there and be deviant out of the public eye. Now, I truly believe that this is the TLD version of a leper colony and that every wifi hotspot in the world will immediately block them, so I’ve not taken much notice of them before now.

 

However, I decided that as Amanda.xxx might well be available, I toddled off for a look. I’m glad I did. It gave me the best laugh since I read about Appoline sneezing in her motorbike helmet.

Firstly, the rules surrounding the roll out of these domains are bloody farcical (IMO). Surely the whole point is to identify adult sites? Apparently not.

Founders Program
Now – 31 July 

The pre-launch opportunity for members of the Sponsored
Community to submit proposals to and/or register one or more
Available Names.

Membership Application
7 Sep. – Ongoing

The Membership Application Process will be operational at the commencement of Sunrise, and available thereafter on an ongoing basis.  The process is designed to confirm the status
and validate contact information for prospective registrants who
are members of the Sponsored Community. The Membership
Application Process will include a membership token and
must be completed before a name in the .XXX TLD will be
permitted to resolve (collectively Membership Credentials). 
Prospective registrants who are not members of the Sponsored
Community should not complete a Membership Application.

Sunrise A – Trademark Holders (“AT”)
7 Sept. – 28 Oct.

The pre-launch opportunity for members of the Sponsored Community to submit Registration Requests for .XXX names
corresponding to registered trademarks in use in Eligible
Commerce.  Applicants for names in the Sunrise AT process
must complete the Membership Application Process within 48
hours of the close of the Sunrise period.  Proxy services may
not be used in connection with Sunrise AT Registration Requests.
(Following allocation, an approved proxy service may be used.)

Sunrise A – Domain Holders (“AD”)
7 Sept. – 28 Oct. 

The pre-launch opportunity for members of the Sponsored
Community to submit Registration Requests for .XXX names
corresponding to names registered in another IANA-recognized
TLD and in current use in Eligible Commerce.  Applicants
for names in the Sunrise AD process must complete the
Membership Application Process within 48 hours of the close
of the Sunrise period.  Proxy services may not be used in
connection with Sunrise AD Registration Requests.  (Following
allocation, an approved proxy service may be used.) 

Ok, so far so good, although I really want to find out what the “Sponsored community” is for sure, rather than just making assumptions. It’s the next one that baffles me slightly.

Sunrise B – Non-Community Trademark Holders (“B”)
7 Sept. – 28 Oct. 

The pre-launch opportunity for those who are not members of
the Sponsored Community to submit Reservation Requests for
names corresponding to their registered trademarks.  Reserved
names will set to resolve to a standard informational page
indicating the status of the name as reserved, do not result in a
typical Registration in the .XXX TLD, and convey no other rights
to successful Sunrise B Applicants.  Proxy services may not be
used in connection with Sunrise B Reservation Requests. 

Why? Surely the whole point of .xxx is to set it apart from the other domains.

But, anyway, enough of that, the part which sent me into paroxysms of mirth was this:

Because I own sensuous-amanda.com, it qualifies me for Sunrise AD.

For those involved in the adult industry who hold pre-existing exact match domain names in any extension (TLD) prior to 1st February 2010.

Which has the following small print.

PLEASE NOTE: For both of these sunrise phases, a closed auction process will be used for .XXX domain names that have more than one applicant. The auction, which is run by Pool.com on behalf of the .XXX registry, will involve two or more applicants bidding against each other. The highest bidder will secure the domain. No refund is given in the event that any .XXX sunrise applications are unsuccessful

The trifling pittance I would have to pay, to possibly end up with bugger all? £149.99

Bwahahahahahahaha…. …Breathe… …Bwahahahahahahahaha…

I think I’ll wait until the fuss is over and I can just buy one normally.