Global Languages (and/or Classification Schemes) + Generic Top Level Domains (TLDs)

Whereas traditional classification schemes (such as the Dewey Decimal Classification [DDC] or the Library of Congress classification scheme [LC]) have primarily been oriented towards topical segmentation of publications published by individual persons or corporate entities, I feel it is now a pretty safe bet that the landscape of generic top-level domains is instead oriented towards segmenting information based on a palette of various communication types, in other words segments of interactions or engagement types used in the broader field of general communications. One might think of this as on par with the „speech act“ theories developed in the latter half of the 20^th Century, though using the world-wide web the focus is not interpersonal communication, but rather open and public communications.

Several years ago, I posted a „guesstimate“ of what com, net and org represent. Now I want to attempt to expand this to more / all generic domains. This is what I have so far:

• com = commerce + commercials (ads + advertising)
• net = networking
• org = organizations (i.e. corporate entities – originally primarily „non-profit“)
• info = reference, lookup services (e.g. publications created on behalf of communities or community services)
• biz = small business
• name = naming + classification (originally primarily personal names / brands)
• tel = contact / directory
• pro = paid / professional services

Note the omission of „gov“ and „edu“ (and „travel“, „museum“, etc.) – this is not an oversight; I consider these „proprietary“ top level domains. Going forward, the vast majority of top-level domains will probably be proprietary. The number of generic top level domains may even be fixed from this point onwards, as this type of registry (i.e. „generic“ registries) is (are) apparently no longer being planned.

However, the above list may in fact not be exhaustive. Likewise, the descriptions are highly speculative and should probably be considered more as „suggested“ rather than as descriptive or prescriptive.