Suffix switch ditched as Brits choose to stick with trusty .co.uk URLs

Suffix switch ditched as Brits choose to stick with trusty .co.uk URLs
.co.uk: If it ain't broke don't fix it

Plans to offer a shortened URL suffix to web domain owners in the UK have been scrapped due to a lack of support.

Nominet, the group in charge of UK web addresses had planned to give proprietors of "name.co.uk" domains the option of switching to keystroke-saving "name.uk" addresses.

The switch would have cost website owners more but promised greater security as all .uk sites would have been DNSSEC-signed (Domain Name System Security Extensions) and hence harder to hack.

However, following a three month pilot, the scheme has been abandoned, with website owners unconvinced by the prospective switch.

Alternative proposition

The non-profit Nominet group said it will now seek an alternative plan in order to keep the prospect of .uk addresses alive in the future.

The group said in a statement: "We are going to explore whether it is possible to present a revised proposal that meets the principles of increasing trust and security and maintaining the relevance of the .uk proposition in a changing landscape.

"We would like to thank all those who took the time to give their views."

Via BBC

Chris Smith

A technology journalist, writer and videographer of many magazines and websites including T3, Gadget Magazine and TechRadar.com. He specializes in applications for smartphones, tablets and handheld devices, with bylines also at The Guardian, WIRED, Trusted Reviews and Wareable. Chris is also the podcast host for The Liverpool Way. As well as tech and football, Chris is a pop-punk fan and enjoys the art of wrasslin'.