The internet is so US-centric, it serves as a distinction of nationality.

Fair enough on this point, I guess I am thinking that it is somewhat interesting to me that the internet reproduces many of the same divisions and codifications of identity along national lines, that it often has promised to erase through the naive claims that the “world is flat,” “digital citizens of the world,” etc. In fact, th idea of a domain being an reflection of some kind of stable or reliable identifier is precisely what this example of “abusing” the edu domain is all about.

Yet, with the emergence of social networks, and the notion of knowing a person through a wide range of different spaces and services, all with different URLs, how much does a domain determine about your appraisal of someone else online given the various ways you can interact with them outside of such a more traditional context of a stable identifier?

The internet is so US-centric, it serves as a distinction of nationality. Also, the dot com, dot net and dot org were all taken… ;P

There go my dreams of bavatuesdays.ca, damn I was planning to move the domain and all. Unless, of course I can borrow your home address for the application

An interesting question to me, that is also an aside, is what is the logic of a nationalized domain? It actually seems kind strange to define your online presence through the auspices of a specific state? But that’s another post, I guess.

As an aside, you need to be a Canadian citizen or have business in Canada to get a .ca domain. I got one last week.