One long-standing proof of the US-centricity of the internet has been the fact that net addresses based in America end in one of the generic top level domains (TLDs), .com, .org, .net and so on. Their counterparts outside America end in two-letter country codes like .uk, .jp and .au. That’s all starting to change, as savvy outfits in other countries wake up to the marketing advantages of owning generic TLDs. Accordingly Network Solutions Inc, which is working overtime to establish a new place for itself now that its registration monopoly is over, has announced plans to establish a .com, .org and .net name server in London. While this should speed European traffic somewhat, many might say the move is a belated recognition that the internet really is world wide.
