Domain de Plume

Just as documentation authors sometimes need fake names for use in examples, we also require Internet addresses that can be used without concern for legal or embarrassing consequences. Some authors use their company's domain, but this only avoids the legal problems, not the possibility of accidentally using a real address that the owner would prefer to keep private.

Fortunately, the IANA has reserved a top-level domain specifically for use in documentation. If you need to make up an address use example.com, example.org, or example.net and you'll be free from worry. (Thanks to Derek Miller on TidBITS Talk for the RFC pointer.)

Posted: February 27, 2003 link to this item, Tweet this item, respond to this item