Hong Kong cybersquatters step up their strange games with names
The odd names some Hong Kong people choose for themselves have always provided easy fodder for local columnists. Everyone seems to know a Kermit, a Winky or even an Anus. But the recent new domain launch by the Hong Kong Domain Name Registration Company (HKDNRC) has thrown up a surprising new bunch.
When HKDNRC announced the new idv.hk top-level domain, it promised this would be a haven for individuals hoping to carve their own personal name in cyberspace.
The fact that the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has already assigned .name for that purpose did not trouble our local registrars too much. After all, .name is managed, and its fees collected, by someone else.
So not wanting to miss out on a potential revenue opportunity, HKDNRC came up with its own.
The problem with nearly all top-level domains is that, no matter how sincere the management may be about managing categories, the whole domain name space is such a mess that the fine line between, say, .org and .com or .biz and .info exists only in the minds of ICANN. To everyone else, it is a free-for-all.
Anticipating strong demand, HKDNRC held a two-week 'sunrise period', during which it decided to accept every registration that came in. Now the organisers have announced the lucky new owners of the first .idv.hk domains.
And what a strange bunch of 'personalised' names they are. Among the first lucky registrants are people who apparently go by the names of Sony, Business, Auction, Advertising, Sex, Sheep, JackyChan, Barrister, Insurance, Police, E-business and FreeBSD. There is even a CharlesMok, though Backspace suspects that one might be real.
One Sarah Ho Pui-yan almost deserves a prize for her selection of suspiciously un-personal-sounding personal nicknames, including Computer, Amway, Herbalife and Nuskin. Nice going Sarah, you must be the life and soul of every good party.
Yet the strangest selection of personal monikers now belongs to Shek Chung-sing, who walked away with Canning-FokKinNing, Walter-KwokPingSheung, Raymond-KwokPingLuen, Thomas-KwokPingKwong, Victor-LiZarKuoi and Richard-LiZarKai.
At HK$150 per registration (HK$280 for two years; HK$380 for three years; HK$550 for five years), that makes Mr Shek a virtual big spender.
Last week, Deputy Assistant Attorney-General John Malcolm testified before the US Congress on the newest threat facing the nation. And it wasn't the Axis of Evil or topless statues at the Department of Justice.
Painting a lengthy picture of sinister and highly organised criminal societies, Mr Malcolm explained that the biggest threat to American society is warez kiddies sharing bootleg movies, music and software over the Internet.
In his testimony, which you can read at makeashorterlink.com/
?J336113D3, Mr Malcolm explains that the problem is apparently a new one, 'practically non-existent as recently as 20 years ago'.
Probably because the main participants were all wearing nappies at the time. And while the department has spent years studying the warez groups' methods, what it finds most shocking is the rationale that motivates them.
'Two factors distinguish warez groups from traditional organised crime syndicates. First, warez groups conduct their illegal operations in the cyber world as opposed to the physical world. Second, and perhaps most startling, warez groups typically do not engage in piracy for monetary gain. In fact, in some quarters of the warez scene, pirates who engage in 'for profit' operations are held in contempt and criticised.'
Shocking business. If he were alive today, Robin Hood would be lynched.
The technology PR business has been going through hard times of late. What with cutthroat competition and a diminishing number of clients to fight over. Which might explain why Gordon 'Wiggy' Wong of TechWorks Asia has taken to signing his e-mails as 'Sommeliers R Us'.
Cheers Gordon, Backspace knows how you feel.
