Frequently Asked Questions
Who makes up the OpenNIC?
Membership in the OpenNIC is open to every user of the Internet. All decisions are made either by a democratically elected administrator or through a direct ballot of the interested members and all decisions, regardless of how they are made, within OpenNIC are appealable to a vote of the general membership.
How did the OpenNIC get its start?
An article was posted on Kuro5hin.org on June 1, 2000, advocating the need for a democratically governed Domain Name System (DNS). Out of the resulting discussion, the OpenNIC was born.
How can I contact the OpenNIC and/or its members?
You have several options, depending on what sort of info you're looking for:
Mailing List:
Subscribe by sending 'subscribe discuss' in the body of an email to: discuss@lists.opennicproject.org
Support Center:
OpenNIC has setup a support center to assist new members in making the transition. Send an email to support@opennicproject.org to request assistance.
User Forums:
OpenNIC has setup a user forum on the http://www.opennic.glue site. Many active users monitor the forums and are ready to answer questions.
IRC:
We have an active IRC community on freenode channel #opennic...feel free to join us!
What TLDs are operated by the OpenNIC?
Currently, the OpenNIC operates the .indy, .geek, .null, .oss, .parody, .bbs, .fur, .free and .ing Top Level Domains. OpenNIC also cooperatively operates the shared TLD .glue, which is shared among alternative domain name systems.
Can I register .com/.net/.org domain names through the OpenNIC?
No. The OpenNIC provides a democratically goverened alternative to the traditional Top-Level Domain registries; we do not register non-OpenNIC Top Level Domains, such as .com, .net, and .org.
However, you may register an OpenNIC Top Level Domain, such as .indy, .geek, .null, .oss, or .parody; please see OpenNICNamespaces for a list of whom to contact. Please be aware that each OpenNIC Top Level Domain has its own policies regarding acceptable use (for example, some may be restricted to non-commercial use only).
Why the hell would Grandma Green would want to change her DNS settings?
My grandma is 80 and wrote COBOL, she manages a network server and has destroyed 3 naval battleships.