With ICANN in the process of introducing internationalised domain names (IDNs) to make it easier for those in the world who do not use a Roman alphabet when typing in a domain name, IDG has a report saying that in Japan, maybe IDNs will never take off.The reason is in Japan they have become so adept at using Yahoo (yes, there is a country where Google does not dominate) to search for company or website names, they do not type in domain names in Roman characters.”The advertisements that sit in front of millions of rail passengers each day often don’t feature a Web address even if they’re Internet-based businesses. Even Yahoo hasn’t bothered to put a Web address on a current campaign for its latest credit card.”Instead, almost all of the advertisements feature a stylized search box with a phrase already entered and, just to the right, a ‘search’ button.”While this may or may not turn out to be true, it is an interesting look at how people adapt to obstacles put in their path when using the internet.To read the IDG report in full, see:
www.pcworld.com/businesscenter/article/160090/.html
computerworld.com/action/article.do?command=viewArticleBasic&articleId=9128506
Will IDNs Ever Be Needed in Japan?
With ICANN in the process of introducing internationalised domain names (IDNs) to make it easier for those in the world who do not use a Roman alphabet when typing in a domain name, IDG has a report saying that in Japan, maybe IDNs will never take off.