May 13, 2022
New Release: .host to .xyz Migration
We’re back with another update and a look at the upcoming UX improvements 🔮
We’re back again! This time we’re coming up with a small change that will improve the vanity of your ICNS redirection address. In this release, we’re aligning ourselves more with Open Internet practices to deliver you the most interoperable product possible.
In short, we’re migrating these addresses from xxxx.icp.host to xxxx.icp.xyz.
This is a small, strategic change but that’s not all we have planned. We delivered ICNS-js & Shortlink profiles a little bit ago, a few of our short-term roadmap goals. This week, we’re here to bring you one of our medium-term goals!
.host to .xyz 🛫
In terms of crypto adoption and support on the open web, .xyz is the gateway standard. In order to meet that standard, we’re superseding .host with .xyz as the gateway between Web3 usernames and Web2 browsers.
How are we doing this? 🤔
We’ve acquired icp.xyz, allowing you to access your favorite ICP projects via xxxx.icp.xyz!
Through this change, we hope to better align ourselves with the broader Web3 landscape. The .xyz gateway has become the go-to within the largest communities on the open web. We want to be a part of this, and we imagine you do too.
This change is going to happen automatically! Simply start using .xyz as opposed to .host in order to access your favorite ICP sites.
What’s Coming Next? 🔮
Instant Registration ✅
You’ve been asking, and we’ve been listening! Auctions are coming to an end in the near future.
Auctions allowed for the initial fair distribution of in-demand names. Despite the effectiveness of preventing people from snatching up massive collections of in-demand names, we now recognize that auctions can sometimes act in favor of name squatters rather than against them.
This distribution method is perfect for the initial sale of names like wallet.icp, abc.icp, or eth.icp, but it’s pretty ineffective for names intended for projects and wallets. Most users don’t have the time to watch auctions all day to ensure they get the name they want. With the current system, users would have their bids broadcast to the entire ICNS community, creating a beacon for snipers and squatters to slide in at the last second.
That’s why we believe it is time to bring an end to auctions and begin instant registration of names. We’ll outline the transition steps in the release blog so stay on the lookout 👀
Denomination Change 💱
Another change we’re going to be rolling out in the coming weeks is a change in the denomination of ICNS domains.
Currently, domains are priced statically in ICP based on the number of characters you want. While this might set a fair price for domains right now, when ICP moons this won’t be the case. As a result, we’ll be making changes to the prices of domains so that they’re dynamically priced in ICP based on a USD peg.
This is something the community has been asking for, and we plan to deliver this change very soon!
New Record Types 🙋
We want to know what else you want to see!
We’re discussing a bunch of new records internally that we’d like to see as a team. But, we want to know what you want to be able to do with ICNS names.
Hop into our Discord or tell us on Twitter to have your voice heard!
