.qd

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.qd
Introduced 1987
TLD type Country code top-level domain
Status Active
Registry QuinTel
Sponsoring organization Quintessence of Dust Department of Trade
Intended use Entities connected with Quintessence of Dust
Actual use Very popular in Quintessence of Dust
Registration restrictions Requirement for contact address in Quintessence of Dust; some other varying restrictions for certain subdomains.
Structure Registration generally at 3rd or 4th level, although direct registration at 2nd level sometimes permitted.
Web site tld.qd

.qd. is the Internet country code top-level domain for Quintessence of Dust.

Unusually, .qd was adopted as the TLD of choice as a result of a national referendum, it having being determined that the constitutional requirement that all national symbols and insignia be democratically approved would extend to the Internet suffix. Alternate options included .qu and .qod, the latter being openly favoured by the then government. Turnout for the election was very low, chiefly because at that point no one had the slightest clue what a TLD was or why it should be significant.

Assignment of domain requests was the responsibility of the Department of Trade, who initially managed the process internally through a special committee. As Internet business exploded and personal Internet use increased in the early 1990s, the volume of requests began to swamp the committee, and domain name registration was turned over to private contractors, currently QuinTel, who are expected to reapply when their contract runs out in 2008.

The process of domain registration is relatively free, although for some specific subdomains restrictions are tighter to prevent fraud. Direct registration at the 2nd level (website.qd) is not generally permitted, but exemptions are granted occasionally. There has been suggestion of nepotism, favouritism and corruption creeping in, with a Congressional probe launched, but a DoT internal investigation found no evidence to substantiate these claims.

Second-level domains

  • .ac.qd - academic institutions (teaching and research); learned societies
  • .co.qd - commercial; general interest
  • .def.qd - Quintessential Defence Forces
  • .edu.qd - schools
  • .gov.qd - federal government; local government
  • .hs.qd - health services
  • .lea.qd - law enforcement agencies
  • .net.qd - ISPs
  • .org.qd - general organizations
  • .tfq.qd - public transport

State administered second-level domains

State administered second-level domains are rarely used, usually only by local government and public service sites.

  • .as.qd - Ashenwake
  • .bl.qd - Ballat
  • .cl.qd - Clester
  • .cr.qd - Crompty
  • .dv.qd - Dallervale
  • .es.qd - East Sponson
  • .fr.qd - Frendry
  • .gr.qd - Grinwarwick
  • .hi.qd - Highmark
  • .in.qd - Ingrit
  • .ll.qd - Lallergat
  • .np.qd - Neipur
  • .ns.qd - North Sponson
  • .pu.qd - Pulona
  • .rb.qd - Robary
  • .rk.qd - Rom Kafur
  • .sc.qd - Sconch
  • .st.qd - Starkresh
  • .to.qd - Toonmar
  • .ws.qd - West Sponson
  • .wy.qd - Wycker
  • .zy.qd - Zyarn


Top Level Domains
Currently active: .aao | .an | .ari | .asg | .bsk | .ca | .cdl | .ce | .cf | .cr |.csl| .el | .emp | .fe | .fps | .frc | .fs | .gt | .idu | .ine | .jey | .ked | .kh | .la | .len | .mpv | .my | .nb | .ne |.no | .noe | .nwa | .pc | .pu | .qd | .rp | .rta | .sb | .sbu | .sk | .sna | .sw | .swa | .swi | .tvr | .uie | .ukin | .un | .ur | .usec | .ut | .vk | .wk | .zr | .zz
Reserved/inactive: .fbr | .gtz | .pta | .snj | .vf | .zy