In a last-ditch attempt to win agreement on a new method of assigning
Internet domain names, the company running the system plans to hand the job over
to an international 19-member board appointed by Internet business, Net users
and standards-setting organisations.
Domain names such as www.newscientist.com are currently assigned by the
company Network Solutions of Herndon, Virginia, under a contract from the US
National Science Foundation. But that contract runs out on 30 September, and no
one has been able to agree on the next step
(This Week, 7 March, p 20). Net
watchers say that the new plan might succeed if enough influential companies
swing behind it. In the meantime, Network Solutions will retain
responsibility.