CHAPTER 19. FIRST WEBSITE 202
name is pretty much mandatory. You will probably want a domain name
that is easy to remember. And easy to spell. Short names are also better
than long ones.
Dot-com is the most well-known top-level domain, but there are many other
top-level domains, including national domains. Within one of those top-level
domains, you will rent a name. Then you will advertise it to your friends
and neighbors and search engines so people can find your website.
Domain names are normally not actually owned. Instead, technically, they
are rented on a year-to-year basis. They are acquired by paying money to
a domain registrar. Even so, it is commonly acceptable to say you “own”
your domain name. But we will not be confused about that.
Exam Question 335(p.356): Can you really own a domain name?
Required Answer:no
It is typical to pay around $10 per year for a .com domain name. Or $12.
But 10 is a nice, round number that is pretty accurate.
Exam Question 336(p.356):What is the typical cost for a .com domain
name, in USD per year?
Acceptable Answer: 10
After your domain name is registered, you will probably spend a bit of effort
establishing it as your “brand,” your identity on the web. So it is worth some
extra effort at the start of the process to pick something that you will find
comfortable for a long time.
Your chosen registrar will tell you whether the domain name is available. If
you are like me, the first name you try will be already taken by someone
else. But keep looking.
If you are really REALLY serious, you could even pay lots of money, like
thousands of USD, to get a “premium” domain name.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domain_registrationhas more details.
You can Google search “domain registration” to find lots of domain regis-
trars.
19.3.1 Top Level Domains
Those endings, .com, .org, .net, and .gov, are called Top Level Domains,
abbreviated TLD. Besides those just mentioned, each country has its own,