Local web names to be corrected

By Asantha Sirimanne

The local Internet domain naming system is to be brought in line with international norms soon with the introduction of the full series of suffixes that categorise different types of institutions.

Commercial institutions usually have the suffix .com (dot com) , academic institutions .ac or .edu, other non commercial institutions .org, and government bodies .gov. However so far in Sri Lanka these so called 'top' domain names have been conspicuous by their absence. Adding to the confusion even the country suffix is missing from most domain names.

"We are going to start registering domain names with .gov soon," Computer and Information Technology Council (CINTEC) Chairman Professor V. K. Samaranayake said. CINTEC is charged with registering domain names in Sri Lanka. "We have been registering universities with .ac for some time."

According to the domain naming protocol accepted within the Internet community, all web addresses end with the suffix denoting the country except for the USA. Sri Lanka is identified .lk.

"Most Sri Lankan Internet service providers (ISPs) actually use US domain names," Prof. Samaranayake pointed out.

For example even Sri Lanka's pioneer ISP, Lanka Internet (sri.lanka.net) still uses a US web address.

Most Sri Lankan companies putting up websites have also tended to use the domain name of the ISP instead of registering their own domain name, mostly because they are unaware of the value of registering their own domain name. . "In a narrow minded effort to promote their own domain names the ISPs have encouraged this," Prof. Samaranayake noted. CINTEC is planning a series of seminars to educate local institutions on domain names.

The alphabetical domain names actually represent a numerical address which distinguishes each computer. But names are used in place of a long strings of numbers because words are more user-friendly.

The address of a web site usually starts with the prefix http://www. For example cnn's web address is http://www.cnn.com. Its individual domain name is cnn.com. The .com is the so-called top domain. Cnn is the sub domain.

There is also another reason why .com has so far been absent in local domain names.

"We have given companies the option of using .com or dropping it," says Prof. Samaranayake. Sri Lanka Telecom for example uses slt.lk. But slt.com.lk is also assigned to the same user, to prevent another user taking it up and leading to further confusion.

The most globally popular domain names have invariably been US names, simply because they come without a country prefix making it easier to remember and use. Even in other countries domain names denoting various types of business activities tend to be snapped up quickly. A company which deals in travel may find that travel.com is already taken up. Some companies simply register many possible domain names for future use, blocking others from using them. As a result, popular domain names have acquired a value of their own, giving a new meaning to the concept 'net assets.'

"Internet Domain Name is worth whatever someone is willing to pay, or sell it for," says the website, Bestdoma-ins.com, which is a specialist site providing marketplace for domain names to be traded.

"Domain names have sold for prices ranging from $100 to $150,000."

"On the Internet there are no physical locations but rather sites are found and recognised by the address they choose," the website adds. "Many companies today are even choosing the branding of their services or products based on their ability to secure the appropriate Domain name."

Sri Lankan companies with country specific ethnic names still stand a good chance of registering a US domain name, which could become a valuable resource in the future. However experts say it is important to have a name with the country suffix, because users will naturally associate a company with the country it is domiciled in.

While Sri Lanka is just starting to make available existing top domains other countries are attempting to introduce new suffixes to satisfy the large numbers of new applicants by introducing new ones.

The European Union recently suggested that the suffixes, .shop, .firm, .web, .arts, .rec, and .info be introduced.

Regional co-operation in South Asia

Last week two seminars discussed the possibili ties of regional co-operation in South Asia. The"SriLankaIndia Economic Relations - Looking Ahead " Symposium discussed the possibilities of co-operation in specific areas between India and Sri Lanka. The World Bank Conference,"South Asia Beyond 2000", discussed the possibilities of "Regional Integration". Both deliberations came to similar conclusions in that it was felt a lot more had to be done to make economic co-operation between the two countries and within the region a reality.

Those who addressed the Sri Lanka-India Economic Relations Conference were of the view that while there was a potential for the two neighbours to co-operate, each of them should take measures to make such relations economically attractive and feasible.

For instance, despite the developments and improvements in the Colombo Port over the last two decades, considerable investments are required to develop and expand its handling capacity and ancillary services to enable it to be a regional hub port.

The advantage of a strategic location would have to be harnessed by improvements in our other infrastructure as well. The exploitation of our strategic location for the development of other hub services requires enhancement of our efficiencies and management skills, development of our roads and airport.

In addition there is a need for the other South Asian countries to adopt more liberal policies and a framework of planned regional division of economic activities. The former SAARC Secretary General, Mr Bhargavan, certainly hit the correct keynote as he addressed the most important need to move "From commitment to Policy Implementation. "

At the World Bank Conference, speakers displayed considerable scepticism about regional integration owing to the political conflicts in the region, India's unwillingness to reduce tariffs significantly and in a meaningful manner and the limited regional complementaries in trade.

Trade Minister, Kingsley Wickremaratne, chairing the session on "Regional Co-operation" raised eye brows when he said that "the Indian bureaucracy was the biggest non-tariff barrier" to regional trade expansion. It was pointed out that travel between the capitals was difficult as there weren't adequate air-links between their capital cities. Others who took a more positive stance pointed out that economic co-operation was only a recent exercise and that there were other dimensions of importance for the region.

One of the most constructive suggestions was the need for the countries of the region to negotiate as a group at international fora, especially at World Trade Organisation (WTO) negotiations. It is only by such a common front that the South Asian countries could extract reasonable and advantageous conditions from the 'New World Order'. Without such collective action, South Asia could be marginalised and suffer considerable disadvantages of the globalisation process. There may be limits to what South Asian economic and political co-operation could achieve.

But in an era of regional trade blocs and hard bargaining at international negotiations, South Asian countries cannot afford to neglect South Asian co-operation and collective action.

South Asian co-operation should not be viewed entirely in the context of trade and economic affairs. Political co-operation and greater mutual understanding in other areas could have considerable spill over effects on the economies of the region.

If only the Indo-Pakistan conflict could be resolved, the savings of expenditure on defence could make an enormous difference to their investment capacities and their economies would no doubt take off with an enormous spurt. The growths of their economies would provide a huge impetus to their smaller neighbours and the entire region could emerge a region of robust and vibrant economic growth.

There can be little doubt that South Asian Co-operation - both economic and in other fields could be of immense benefit to the countries of the region.

Irrespective of past performance, South Asian countries must get together to move ahead with co-operation in developing a common front at international fora, enable a freer flow of information and persons within the region, take practical measures to make the region a closer and well-knit grouping; and resolve their conflict in an amiable manner so as to reduce their defence expenditure to release resources for investment. South Asian co-operation and economic integration may have achieved little yet, but such co-operation could strengthen all South Asian economies

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