PC Doctor June 9, 2017

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Dear PC Doctor:

I am curious about websites.  Some end in .com, .edu., .mobi.  Does this mean anything?

Thank you,

   Curious

 

Dear Curious:

Everything that appears after the period is known as a website extension.  They typically tell the viewer something about the group that owns the website or the location from which it originates.  For example, “.com” signifies the website represents a business.  Businesses also sometimes use .biz.  “.org” stands for the word organization.  This website extension is generally favored by non-profits or trade associations.  “.info” is typically used for informational websites. (But this does not guarantee that the information is correct – Anyone can register their website as .info, if they want.)  “.gov” means  a government website.  This web extension is limited and can only be used by the government.  “.edu” is similarly restricted to U.S. postsecondary institutions that are institutionally accredited by an agency on the U.S. Department of Education's list of Nationally Recognized Accrediting Agencies.  “.mobi” usually indicates that the site has been created especially to work well on mobile devices.  There are many, many website extensions.  If you are curious about a specific website extension, you can look online.  There are several websites with extensive lists of extensions!

Until next time,
Happy Computing!

   PC Doctor