Domain

Definition
In information technology, a domain is the term generally used in place of "domain name", an internet metaphor for a virtual home or office. Organized by the Domain Name System (DNS), these packages of information have been given identifiable names such as yahoo.com. Its main purpose is create a cataloging system, an infrastructure, to substitute in place for numeric Internet Protocol addresses (made of numbers) in order for better accessibility.

Multiple IP addresses can be assigned to one domain or vice-versa, depending on its use: for example, yahoo.com with its multiple hierarchies and functions is a domain name that umbrellas many IP addresses. (A server for games, one for stock, one for IM, etc).

For example: code Host Name : yorku.ca

IP Address : 130.63.236.137

Location  : Canada [|(accuracy)] code Typing in 130.63.236.137 into the address bar will bring you to the same site. Try! :D

Hostnames are restricted to the American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) system of naming, limited to the letters "a" through "z" (case-insensitive), the digits "0" through "9", and the hyphen, with some other restrictions.

Categories
They have been sub-divided into various categories, such as .com (for commercial), .gov, (for governmental), .org, (for non-profit organisations), .edu (for educational establishments) and so on. These are known as top-level domain names.

Domain names are also available on a country specific basis, such as .co.uk (for the United Kingdom) and .com.au (for Australia). Some of these have become very sought after (and expensive) as they have very memorable or useful extensions - for example .tv and .cc. del.icio.us and blo.gs are examples of "domain hacking" using country-specific top-level domains.

Examples of domains: www.google.com www.wikipedia.org www.google.co.uk www.ebay.co.uk

Societal Impact
A domain name is tattooed onto a woman who auctioned the space on her forehead online, claiming that the $10,000 that the online casino has paid her for would provide better education for her son.