Tous Actualités
Suivre
Abonner SWITCH

SWITCH

Switch: The "Œuf de Colomb" in the internet

Un document

Zurich (ots)

- Indication: A of permitted characters with their Unicode   
                 position can be downloaded for free as pdf: 
              www.presseportal.ch/de/story.htx?firmaid=100004516 -
On 1 December 2005 at 8.00, the character "œ" will
be making its debut in the internet - or, to be more precise, SWITCH
will be permitting the use of this character in domain names ending
in .ch and .li too. French words such as "cœur" or "sœur" can then be
accurately depicted without need to use the separate characters of
"oe". Accents and umlauts have already been permitted in domain names
(IDNs) registered with SWITCH since 1 March 2004.
At the request of the internet community in Switzerland, SWITCH is
adding the letter œ to the range of characters permitted in domain
names ending in .ch and .li. As of 8.00 on 1 December 2005, it will
be possible for domain names containing œ to be registered, thereby
allowing words in all of Switzerland's four national languages to be
employed without need for circumscription. The most familiar words
with œ include œil (eye), œuf (egg), cœur (heart), and sœur (sister).
Entering "œ"
It should, however, be noted that œ cannot be typed in directly,
since it is not even available on French keyboards. When registering
a domain name and also later on, when calling up a website, the œ
must be entered via the character set or through the key combination
Alt+0156.
Switching this character live will require an interruption to
service and will be performed in the context of maintenance work
immediately prior to 8.00.
SWITCH is not taking reservations for domain names with the new
"œ" character. Domain names will be allocated on the basis of the
established "first come - first served" principle. Prior to
registering domain names, applicants should make sure that they are
not infringing any rights of third parties.
It's the browser that counts
With the exception of Microsoft Internet Explorer which only
supports IDNs with a plug-in, all the more familiar internet browsers
support the use of domain names with accents and umlauts.
The following browsers support IDNs:
- Firefox
   - Mozilla
   - Netscape
   - Opera
   - Safari
   - Camino
Further additions possible
There are no technical limits to the extra characters that can be
made available for domain names over and above those that are
permitted at present. SWITCH thus keeps a constant eye on its
customers' requirements. New characters or character sets are only
ever introduced on a step-by-step basis. Customers can notify SWITCH
directly of their wishes at  idn@switch.ch.
IDNs highly popular
Following the introduction of IDNs on 1 March 2004, more than
25,000 domain names with accents and umlauts had been registered by
the end of October 2005.
IDNs ending in .ch: 25,193 or 3.4% of the overall number of domain
names
IDNs ending in .li: 1,149 or 4.8% of the overall number of domain
names
List of permitted characters with their Unicode position:
www.presseportal.ch/de/story.htx?firmaid=100004516
Detailed information on domain names with accents and umlauts may
be found on the SWITCH website at www.switch.ch/id/idn.
SWITCH - The SWITCH Foundation has operated the Swiss Education &
Research Network for 18 years, guaranteeing the universities access
to the information society. This backbone, based on gigabit
technology, is the SWITCH-owned infrastructure that permits the
exchange of information between the university networks. It connects
users in Switzerland with each other, with Europe and with overseas.
Operating this network provides SWITCH with the necessary know-how
and technological foundation for running the registry for domain
names ending in .ch and .li.
SWITCH
Roland Eugster or
Marco D'Alessandro
Limmatquai 138
Postfach
CH-8021 Zürich
Telephone:+41 1 253 98 73
Telefax:+41 1 268 15 68
e-mail:press@switch.ch
www.switch.ch
Seite 2/3

Plus de actualités: SWITCH
Plus de actualités: SWITCH
  • 28.09.2005 – 10:22

    New SWITCH website for Internet Domains

    Zurich (ots) - As of 1 October 2005, it will be even easier than before to register a domain name via the internet. SWITCH, the registry for domain names ending in .ch and .li, has redesigned the "Internet Domains" section of its website in response to changing customer needs. Users will benefit not only from the new design but also from optimised processes and functions. The launch of this new website zone ...

  • 01.03.2004 – 14:50

    Successful launch of IDNs at SWITCH - 2'700 new domain names already registered

    Zurich (ots) - In the run-up to the launch date for domain names with accents and umlauts, SWITCH implemented extensive measures to ensure that it was optimally prepared for the expected rush. Thanks to the comprehensive measures implemented by SWITCH in the weeks and months prior to the launch date, no technical or administrative / no notable problems have been ...