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Is it a good idea or a bad idea to start using websites that end with a dot followed by some kanji characters? Will Jasprizza posted this last month, and it has some interesting comments from current JapanSoc members. Will it aid the elderly in Japanese internet navigation or will it hinder people who don't know Japanese from exploring the Japanese language sites out there? Intriguing. Would you buy a domain with kanji?
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Comments
It's hard enough remembering if a site is a .com or a .net, but surely having .jp and .日本 is even more confusing. Replacing .jp for the kanji version would be pretty much impossible. Imagine all the redirects!
If the elderly are smart enough to use the internet, then they are smart enough to remember a few TLDs (top-level domains). .com. .jp and .co.jp are pretty much all they need to learn, so I don't see the necessity for kanji TLDs at all. Besides, most people just click links rather than type in urls directly, anyway.
I pretty much agree with your take, Nick. The Balkanization of the Net argument is pretty interesting too, though.
I had to look that up, and you're right. So much for the "global village".
http://lessig.org/blog/2004/08/the_balkanization_of_the_inter.html
I don't think kanji TLDs will be a problem. If it makes it easier for the Japanese elderly to use the internet that's great.
There are many different languages and cultures around the world, the balkanization of the internet seems to me to be inevitable. The great thing about it is that everything is still connected so if you speak both languages or want to learn a language the resource is there. I don't think any country should be forced to use a foreign language or abide by the rules of a foreign culture to use the internet.
The problem is when countries like China put up a wall or filter, creating a country specific intranet. Especially if their content is not accessible to the rest of the world. I'm all for filtering out the illegal rubbish but filtering out foreign media and blogs is going too far.
That brings up a good point - what about China? If both countries use kanji in their domain names, I foresee some overlap issues. Anybody?