I get that some instances use the domain + TLD to make a word, like lemm.ee or to an extent, sh.itjust.works. But I've seen so many TLDs I had no idea existed, like .world, .zone, .social, and yes .works as well.

Is there any real reason for that? Trying to look cool or kinda underground-y? Cheaper and more varied domain options? Something actually kinda functional?

Interestingly, I started on vlemmy.net because I was a scared Reddit refugee and the .net TLD gave me comfort. Then it vanished a few days later without a trace. So here I am on lemmy.world

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[–] 137 points 2 years ago (3 children)

Because it's no longer 1996 and there are domains beyond ccTLDs and com/net/org?

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  • [–] 73 points 2 years ago (3 children)

    It's not 1996 anymore?!! Why didn't somebody tell me? My license is probably expired.

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  • [–] 50 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    One day it was just 1997. Damnedest thing, there was no vote or anything. Frankly I think it was a bad move.

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  • [–] 23 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    Yep, straight from Macarena to Tubthumping and nobody even noticed.

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  • [–] 9 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move.

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  • [–] 2 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    We should never have left the oceans.

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  • [–] 33 points 2 years ago (5 children)

    You can buy .zip if you want to now... that still doesn't sit right with me

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  • [–] 21 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    I'm still waiting for .rar so I can buy unregistered.rar, which is the way it's meant to be.

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  • [–] 19 points 2 years ago (2 children)

    From what I've heard, .zip is basically only used for malware

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  • [–] 10 points 2 years ago (5 children)

    Similarly, I've never seen a .xyz that wasn't used for altchans or sketchy porn sites

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  • [–] 0 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    I'm on lemmy.zip, has been swell.

    The whole zip malware hype never came to be. Try it out, your Outlook isn't replacing xyz.zip with a link.

    I guess you could manually create a link, but those have never been safe before either as the text can be different from the URL.

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  • [–] 4 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    I think the complaint is it's just needlessly confusing and ambiguous.

    Like everyone would obviously have an issue with it if they introduced a TLD of .txt or .jpg so why is this acceptable?

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  • [–] 3 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    It really doesn't matter in my opinion.

    If you get an email and there is a link that just says "myfile.zip", you wouldn't click it, right? Email doesn't support links for attachments, so it would be a web link either way. And behind that link it can be whatever, like "https://malicioussite.com/download/virus". Actual email attachments have their own spot in your email client.

    On top of that, any URL can download a file. If you go to https://fakegoogle.com it doesn't even have to be .zip or .jpg, the moment you get there I could start a download in your browser.

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  • [–] 2 points 2 years ago* (1 child)

    No it's not that URL will download a file it's that a URL can pretend to be a file download.

    Then all I need to do is build a website that looks like a word or something, and ask users to fill out their personal address form or something.

    It's about the lowest common denominator, and the public are the very most common denominator. Why make life easier for scammers?

    It's not like there's a legitimate reason for a .zip domain

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  • [–] 5 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    Yeah, that domain screams scam emails to me.

    here, mr boomer target, click this file

    it's a link that redirects to something else

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  • [–] 5 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

    I was surprised it took almost an entire day before appleinvoice. zip got snatched up🤣 I wonder how much appleinvoice or microsoft agreement is worth to some scammer.

    Probably not as much as something more generic like "invoices", "emails", "communications"

    Edit: I didn't mean to make it a link lol... I actually have the domain blocked until I need a use for it.

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  • [–] 7 points 2 years ago (1 child)

    It's not that hard. Because people out there are still buying domains like tomandkatesfamouspizzacincinattiohio.net

    Please don't work please don't work.

    I have a few .coms that aren't random letters, that are less than 8 characters. Got em mostly in the last decade.

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