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Government URLs that don't end in .gov

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Re: Government URLs that don't end in .gov

#121

Post by asperous »

bombcar wrote: post #63
smeyer wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would hope that random "non-government related non-profits" aren't using .gov domains. Isn't the whole point of the domain that it's just for government entities?

even usps.gov just redirects to usps.com which I feel is a bit of a loss. Lots of small towns have dot coms when they could have dot gov.

USPS I think from a branding perspectives wants to be compared to retail shipping and not come across and some stuffy/slow bureaucratic agency, even though they totally are.

Re: Government URLs that don't end in .gov

#122

Post by DamonHD »

SeanLuke wrote: post #91
samwillis wrote: post #11

I think it's particularly interesting that the US use .gov and not .gov.us (as a Brit). I'm sure there are oversights on who can acquire an inherently international .gov domain, but for example here in the UK .gov.uk domains have a strict application process [0] managed by central government. It just seems to me that it would be more secure, and more reassuring to citizens and visitors that they are on the correct si…

Note that .gov predates .uk. .gov was made in 1984, and .uk was issued in 1985.

And I think that my company issued the first .gov.uk, which would have been about a decade later...

Re: Government URLs that don't end in .gov

#123

Post by 0xE1337DAD »

samwillis wrote: post #11

I think it's particularly interesting that the US use .gov and not .gov.us (as a Brit). I'm sure there are oversights on who can acquire an inherently international .gov domain, but for example here in the UK .gov.uk domains have a strict application process [0] managed by central government. It just seems to me that it would be more secure, and more reassuring to citizens and visitors that they are on the correct si…

.mil too

Re: Government URLs that don't end in .gov

#124

Post by Aaron2222 »

freitzkriesler2 wrote: post #39
samwillis wrote: post #11

I think it's particularly interesting that the US use .gov and not .gov.us (as a Brit). I'm sure there are oversights on who can acquire an inherently international .gov domain, but for example here in the UK .gov.uk domains have a strict application process [0] managed by central government. It just seems to me that it would be more secure, and more reassuring to citizens and visitors that they are on the correct si…

"turns out .gov is exclusively for the US, not sure I feel good about that, particularly as .com and .net are very much not just for the US. I get it, you invented the internet, but the special status you have over it is a little frustrating." I bet America having +1 as our country code bothers you too :P America numba 1! /S

Hate to break it to you, but Canada uses +1 as well[0].

[0]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telephone_numbers_in_Canada

Re: Government URLs that don't end in .gov

#126

Post by rootusrootus »

tamimio wrote: post #110
xn--cr8h wrote: post #72

Sort of funny that the README never mentions which government they're talking about. Classic USA trying to make sure everyone knows they're the most important country in the history of planet Earth

Same here, it took me few seconds to realize it was a US only. Usually this is the mindset of “Murricans”, on the internet or otherwise, where sometimes you ask someone “where are you from?” And they proceed to mention the state or worse, the state nickname/short name as if you are living in US, it’s hilarious when they are meeting with people who aren’t in the Americas continent at all :)

I've met a fair number of people internationally and I could probably count on one hand how many of them didn't know that Oregon was a US state.

It could just be that I'm meeting with more educated folks, granted.

Re: Government URLs that don't end in .gov

#127

Post by rootusrootus »

syncsynchalt wrote: post #98

The most egregious of these to me is moneyfactory.com (the Bureau of Engraving & Printing). It reads as very low-rent considering it's the printing press of the US Dollar. If they reached out to me I'd think it was a weak scam.

The Bureau of Engraving and Printing just produces paper. Pretty paper that looks a lot like US dollars, but isn't in fact US dollars until the Federal Reserve Bank takes possession and issues it.

In any case, moneyfactory.com is just a redirect to bep.gov, so I'm not sure what the big deal is. The average person's interaction with the BEP, aside from handling paper money, is probably at their gift shop. Having a cutesy name probably made sense at some level.

Re: Government URLs that don't end in .gov

#128

Post by jowea »

Caligatio wrote: post #7
seeknotfind wrote: post #2

We need a government root CA more than a government TLD. Domain names aren't even the only thing we should attest.

This sounds like a decent idea until you realize that means one of two options: - A US Government controlled CA root preinstalled on computers. Privacy advocates would be in arms. - Constant untrusted CA warnings when trying to access any government site.

Brazil had trouble somewhat like that. https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=438825

Re: Government URLs that don't end in .gov

#129

Post by rootusrootus »

kevin_thibedeau wrote: post #97
Zetice wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I’m surprised how many people here aren’t aware of this.

At this point most internet users are digital natives who don't know how things worked before eternal September.

This is becoming quite clear, and it's fascinating. I'm an old timer and assumed that people mostly had an idea how the Internet worked, especially on HN. Apparently not. The history is getting forgotten.

Re: Government URLs that don't end in .gov

#130

Post by rootusrootus »

kanbara wrote: post #33
pc86 wrote: post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Had another country had a primary role in inventing the internet, they would probably have it (or more likely, the US would be .gov.us and everyone else would be whatever they are today).

CERN / Switzerland would like a word

Hell, CERN's involvement barely pre-dates my own domain. Pretty sure they didn't invent the Internet.
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