Is there any way to register a custom domain extension other than the common ones like .com, .net. .org - could you do .mike? .anything? who is the authority on determining domain extensions?

A top-level domain (TLD), sometimes referred to as a top-level domain name (TLDN), is the last part of an Internet domain name; that is, the letters which follow the final dot of any domain name. For example, in the domain name http://www.example.com, the top-level domain is com (or COM, as domain names are not case-sensitive). Management of most top-level domains is delegated to responsible parties or organizations by the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN), which operates the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority (IANA) and is in charge of maintaining the DNS root zone.

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In addition to the Internet’s main DNS root (currently consisting of 13 nominal root nameservers working in agreement with ICANN), several organizations operate alternative DNS roots (often referred to as alt roots). Each alternative root has its own set of root nameservers and its own set of top-level domains (TLDs).

The Internet Architecture Board has spoken out strongly against alternate roots in RFC 2826, “IAB Technical Comment on the Unique DNS Root”.

Here is a link the ICANN policy that should answer most of you questions.

ICANN also considers allowing custom TLDs.

…but for the moment, your .mike domain isn’t a possibility.

As vincentt said, they’re considering custom TLDs. But ranging at around $250K a pop…

I eagerly await the day clownpenis.fart becomes a reality.

0.o

@andrew: I’m definitely buying .richard instead of a house.

@richardhenry: if you play your cards right, your .whatever might end up buying you a house… that’s it if you have the hundred thousand dollars to even get in the bid