Original Symbolics Logo
Symbolics.com was the first domain name ever registered. Symbolics, Inc. was a computer manufacturer headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts. They designed and manufactured a line of Lisp machines, single-user computers optimized to run the Lisp programming language.
As a historical note – the first domain name ever created (as opposed to registered) was Nordu.net, a name that was created by the registry on opening day (Jan. 1, 1985) for use as the first ever root server (nic.nordu.net). While it was technically the first domain name in the current domain name system, it was created for a special purpose before domains were allowed to be registered. Once that process was put in place, Symbolics.com was the first name taken. Since that initial domain registration almost 25 years ago, about 180 million domains names have been registered. Here’s a listing of the 100 first registered .COM domains.
– Carole Gunst
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Dear Carole,
thanks for maintaining your blog and for writing very interesting blog articles.
Your articles are hitting home very effectively. I worked for DEC 1974-1985 most of the time in Maynard, Mass. From 1986 I was with Symbolics in Cambridge.
You write that Symbolics.com was the first domain name ever registered. To be really accurate Symbolics.com was the first .COM domain name. There were others before, I believe .EDU?
Anyway I am very proud of my time at Symbolics and also with Digital Equipment. DEC had “the honor” of sending the first spam message in the Internet. That was about announcing VAX 11/750.
thanks and regards,
Harri Rautiainen
http://saxontheweb.blogspot.com/2009/05/one-div-zero-brief-incomplete-and.html
Dear Carole,
I re-read your post more carefully.
You are right: there is a difference between creating domain names and registering them.
sorry for the confusion,
~Harri