If you feel the need to buy your own piece of the Internet today, then you're luck is in.
It is the first day that the new .eu domains are open to the general public – so get stuck in. Previously, there have been two “sunrise” periods where companies, organisations and other such creations have been able to grab their namesake in this new part of the Internet, but now everyone is welcome to join in.
I wonder whether these sunrise periods over a form of protection to someone that registers a domain that a company subsequently puts claims to. After all, they have set aside a special time period to register the domain – you only have to show they were aware of this and then you could argue that they have demonstrated their lack of interest in the name by not registering it.
Not that I'll be going Microsoft.eu any time soon. Actually, that has of course already gone – although you wouldn't know it as EURid's Whois appears to have collapsed under the strain at the moment.
Do people really want a .eu domain? I suppose we will get the first indications on Monday. In the meantime, enjoy these odd .eu facts I dug up for an article in The Times a fortnight ago – Sex.eu and other domain stories.
