It has taken more than 7 years, and Ryan blogged about it two years ago… but it looks like non english domain names are coming in 2010.
Over half of the users of the internet do not use English as their native language, and yet it is currently the primary language for domain names and searches. That is about to change.
Will the non-language specific computer labs on our campuses be ready to adapt… or should all computer labs be more like language centers? Hmmm?
To quote Rodd Beckstrom, the President and CEO of ICANN in this video: “Some people see this as caucophony… I see this as a symphony.”
Comments?
Maybe this will also force the hand of OS developers to better integrate support for non-English written languages. I haven’t tried Windows Vista or 7 for their typing support, but XP could be very frustrating at times. Did I install the right IME? Where is that little checkbox for Pinyin input? Etc etc. That and going to a website with characters from a written system that you don’t have installed was always cause for some head scratching.
On another note, ICANN’s decision reminds me of this.