Changes

Alternative Roots are separate root systems in that the contents of their root zone files deviate from the [[IANA]] promulgated authoritative root zone file.<ref>[https://www.internetgovernance.org/2020/02/26/the-knake-mueller-wager-will-china-form-an-alternate-dns-root/ Will China Form an Alternate DNS Root?, IGP]</ref> Alternative Root Servers, or Alternative Domain Servers, provide users with alternative gTLDs not currently available in ICANN space. The control of the official [[Internet]] is in the hands of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers ([[ICANN]]). [[IANA]], a department of [[ICANN]], has full control over the ‘root’ server, which is a file on a computer that is kept at Herndon, Virginia. This file works as the official list of domain names on the Internet. <ref>[http://www.iana.org/about About IANA]</ref>

Alternative Roots are separate root systems in that the contents of their root zone files deviate from the [[IANA]] promulgated authoritative root zone file.<ref>[https://www.internetgovernance.org/2020/02/26/the-knake-mueller-wager-will-china-form-an-alternate-dns-root/ Will China Form an Alternate DNS Root?, IGP]</ref> Alternative Root Servers, or Alternative Domain Servers, provide users with alternative gTLDs not currently available in ICANN space. The control of the official [[Internet]] is in the hands of the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers ([[ICANN]]). IANA, a department of ICANN, has full control over the root server, which is a file on a computer that is kept at Herndon, Virginia. This file works as the official list of domain names on the Internet.<ref>[http://www.iana.org/about About IANA]</ref>

The [[DNS]] is a hierarchical system designed to allow humans to use text strings to access content or services in place of IP addresses on a global information network. Operating systems have been distributed for decades with the listing of default DNS servers to use as the authoritative place to obtain an answer when searching for a [[TLD]]. There are 13 [[Root Server Operator]]s in that file, and they comprise the [[Internet]]'s main DNS root. In addition to the Internet's main DNS root working in agreement with [[ICANN]], several organizations operate Alternative Root Servers (often referred to as "alt roots"). Each alternative root has its own set of root nameservers and its own set of TLDs.

The [[DNS]] is a hierarchical system designed to allow humans to use text strings to access content or services in place of [[IP address]]es on a global information network. Operating systems have been distributed for decades with the listing of default DNS servers to use as the authoritative place to obtain an answer when searching for a [[TLD]]. There are 13 [[Root Server Operator]]s in that file, and they comprise the [[Internet]]'s main DNS root. In addition to the Internet's main DNS root working in agreement with [[ICANN]], several organizations operate Alternative Root Servers (often referred to as "alt roots"). Each alternative root has its own set of root nameservers and its own set of TLDs.

==Alternative Root Projects==

==Alternative Root Projects==

Alternative Root Servers have been in existence since 1995 when several groups of Internet users found out that they didn’t have choices other than [[.com]], [[.org]]], and so on. Alt roots can in general be divided into two groups; those run for idealistic or ideological reasons, and those run as profit-making enterprises.

Alternative Root Servers have been in existence since 1995 when several groups of Internet users found out that they didn’t have choices other than [[.com]], [[.org]]], and so on. Historically, altroots could be divided into two groups: those run for idealistic or ideological reasons and those run as profit-making enterprises. The latest wave of altroots can be differentiated based on the technology on which they rely: blockchain.  

* [https://web.archive.org/web/19970125144823/http://www.alternic.net/TLDS.html AlterNIC] (aka ANIC): a domain name registry created by [[Eugene Kashpureff]] and [[Diane Boling]] that relied on an alternative DNS root with the aim of challenging the monopoly of [https://www.internic.net/ InterNIC] that operated from 1995 to 1997.<ref>[https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/alternic-founder-arrested/ AlterNIC Founder Arrested, CNet]</ref>

* [https://web.archive.org/web/19970125144823/http://www.alternic.net/TLDS.html AlterNIC] (aka ANIC): a domain name registry created by [[Eugene Kashpureff]] and [[Diane Boling]] that relied on an alternative DNS root with the aim of challenging the monopoly of [https://www.internic.net/ InterNIC] that operated from 1995 to 1997.<ref>[https://www.cnet.com/tech/services-and-software/alternic-founder-arrested/ AlterNIC Founder Arrested, CNet]</ref>