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{{short description|Internet country-code top level domain for Tonga}} {{Infobox top level domain | name = .to | image = DotTo domain logo.png | introduced = 18 December 1995 | type = [[Country code top-level domain]] | status = Active | registry = Tonga Network Information Center (Tonic) | sponsor = [[Government of Tonga]] | intendeduse = Entities connected with {{TON}} | actualuse = Used for a varied assortment of sites, few related to Tonga. Often used for torrent websites, technology startups in [[Toronto]], [[domain hack]]s, and unlicensed movie streaming websites. | restrictions = Open to everyone, but use for [[Spam (electronic)|spam]] as well as some vulgar words are prohibited. | structure = Registrations permitted at second level; some Tonga-related entities have domains at third level under labels like '''.gov.to''' | document = [http://www.tonic.to/faq.htm FAQ] | disputepolicy = Some trademarked names reserved; no other dispute policy | website = [http://www.tonic.to/ Tonic] }} [[File:.to (domain name registry) (logo).png|thumb|Tonic logo]] '''.to''' is the [[Internet]] [[country code]] [[top-level domain]] ([[ccTLD]]) of the Kingdom of [[Tonga]]. The government of Tonga sells domains in its ccTLD to any interested party. The .to ccTLD is administered by the Tonga Network Information Center (Tonic).<ref>[http://www.tonic.to/ Tonga Network Information Center]</ref> == Background == The .to top-level domain was widely commercialized in 1997 by the San Francisco company Tonic Corp. (founded by Eric Gullichsen and Eric Lyons) which would sell domains at $100 per unit. They operated with the approval of [[George Tupou V|Prince Siaosi]], then-[[Crown Prince of Tonga]]. Network Solutions was already selling .to domains, but in a very chaotic fashion. Domain requests were processed by the Tongan consulate in San Francisco.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Corcoran|first=Elizabeth|date=1 July 1997|title=Tiny Tonga expands its domain|newspaper=The Washington Post|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/business/1997/07/01/tiny-tonga-expands-its-domain/40ad136f-6379-4c6c-b472-fed52378ba35/|access-date=11 March 2021}}</ref> The top-level domain ''to'' itself had an A record and an HTTP server since at least 1998.<ref>{{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/*/to. |date=* |title=to. }}</ref> == Description == Because [[wikt:to#English|''to'']] is a common English preposition, it became popular to craft memorable URLs called [[domain hack]]s that take advantage of this; [[URL shortening]]/[[URL redirection|redirection]] services and [[Torrent file|torrent]] aggregators (e.g. [[isoHunt|isohunt.to]]) are popular uses. Other domain hacks do not use the ''to'' as a preposition but rather as a syllable inside of a word, including [[Daniel J. Bernstein]]'s website cr.yp.to, London web development company Potato p.ota.to. "T.O." is also a common nickname for [[Toronto]], Ontario, Canada, and is used as a city domain. This domain is also used for the city of [[Turin|Torino (Turin), Italy]], and also as a [[domain hack]] in [[Slavic languages]] (''to'' meaning ''it'' or ''that'') – such as the uploading service uloz.to ("ulož to" means "save it" in [[Czech language|Czech]] and [[Slovak language|Slovak]]). As the .to domains are purchased, all normal DNS operations are possible and registered sites are not required to display ads on behalf of the registrar. Some domains are free, like .edu.to, but only to real Tongan educational institutions. At this moment businesses registered in Tonga can also get free domains. People who sell on .to domains can claim a commission. .to is one of the few ccTLDs that (officially) does not maintain a (public) [[WHOIS]] database for providing registrant information. It is possible to contact domain registrants via tonic.to by typing the domain in the domain search field under "New Domain Name".<ref>{{cite web|title=Tonic Corporation Frequently Asked Questions: Does Tonic offer a whois service?|url=http://www.tonic.to/faq.htm?B6G53667;;;#16|publisher=Tonic}}</ref> This has resulted in limited popularity for the use of .to for websites involved in [[copyright infringement]]. The .to registry allows the creation of emoji domain names. A former .to registrar, Register.TO, did support the search and registration of .to [[Emoji domain|emoji domain names]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Hughes|first1=Matthew|title=This site helps you find the perfect Emoji domain name (with one caveat)|url=https://thenextweb.com/insider/2017/08/15/this-site-helps-you-find-the-perfect-emoji-domain-name-with-one-caveat/#.tnw_Dd4mgGSI|access-date=4 September 2017|publisher=The Next Web|date=15 August 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://register.to/|title=Register.TO}}</ref> Register.TO is no longer an authorized registrar for .to domain names, following the death of its owner in early 2023 as stated by the NIC of Tonga.<ref>{{Cite web|url= https://domainnamewire.com/2023/03/02/to-registry-assures-register-to-customers-that-their-domains-are-safe/|title=.To registry assures Register.to customers that their domains are safe|publisher=Domain Name Wire|date=2 March 2023 }}</ref> ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== *[http://www.tonic.to/ Registration of .TO domains] * [https://www.iana.org/domains/root/db/to.html IANA .to whois information] *[https://register.to/ Registration of Emoji Domains] {{CcTLD}} {{DEFAULTSORT:To}} [[Category:Internet properties established in 1995]] [[Category:Communications in Tonga]] [[Category:Country code top-level domains]] [[Category:Domain hacks]] [[sv:Toppdomän#T]]
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