Author: Comunicació

Domain, website and email: how they are similar and how they differ

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When we talk about the internet there are some related concepts which can cause confusion between them. While plenty of people know what a domain is, some might not realise that registering one does not give you a website. People may also confuse a URL address with an email address.

What is a domain?

A domain name is simply the name we choose for our website. Technically, it is a ‘translation’ using words that are easy to remember and which correspond to an IP address where all the information on our website is hosted. This IP address is a very long unique number, which we essentially substitute with the domain name. Consequently, the domain name must also be the only one of its kind in the world. An example of a domain would be mercat.barcelona.

Does registering a domain mean we have a website?

No. If we register a domain, we have only registered what we want to call ourselves on the network (domain name). If we want a website, we must rent space where it will be housed. To do this we need to acquire space on the server where we will save all the files that make up our website. We do this through a web hosting company.

So, what is the difference between a domain and a website?

The domain is the name we write in the browser, while the website is the page itself. In other words, all the information it contains: files, texts and images.

And email?

An email address is the address we use to send and receive emails, from a webmail or an email management programme such as Outlook. This service is provided from an email server. The email address very often includes the domain name, as most web servers offer the option of registering email addresses too. This way we can manage everything from the same domain management panel.

An email address differs from a website address as it has the symbol @ in the middle. This separates the name of the recipient from the email domain. For instance, if our domain is mercat.barcelona, the email address could be info@mercat.barcelona. We can register as many email addresses as we wish or as many as our server allows.

The geoTLD group welcomes .miami and .boston

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The geoTLD group came together for a virtual meeting on 10 February, enabling members to get up to date with the latest in the sector and draft the activity and management plan for 2022. The group also used the session to welcome the new domains of .miami and .boston, the two newcomers bringing the number of geoTLD members around the world to 37.The meeting was also a chance for geoTLDs to prepare for the upcoming ICANN 73, an open virtual gathering to be held from 7 to 10 March.

But how relevant are these meetings for internet users? To answer this, we should take a look at the bodies mentioned and how important each one is.

  • The ICANN (Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers): a non-profit corporation to benefit the public, with participants from all over the world. This body manages the assignation of domain names and addresses for the IP protocol.
  • Domain Name System (DNS): all internet domains operate with the DNS. Users access information online using domain names rather than IP addresses because it is much easier to remember the name of a website than a ten-digit number.

One of the most common issues relating to the security and stability of DNS is abuse. Malicious practice is based on registering domains which make reference to people, companies or recognised brands with the intention of the targeted party paying out money to get their domain back.

  • geoTLD (Geographic Top-Level Domain): one initiative by the ICANN was to set up top-level domains. These include geoTLDs, a type of high-level domain to serve and represent geographical areas, languages or cultures. They includes geographical names such as .barcelona; geographical indicators such as .nyc (New York City) and names of geographical origin, such as .cat. GeoTLDs also allow for the use of characters which are unique to each language, such as Arabic or Chinese symbols.

LGBTI Centre: a pioneering space for sexual and gender diversity

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Located at Carrer del Comte Borrell, 22, the Barcelona LGBTI Centre is a leading facility in the sphere of LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans and intersexual) and uses the .barcelona domain as part of its communication strategy.

The centre offers guidance, advice and direct support, as well as giving a voice to artistic expression and collective action. To ensure all types of assistance for its users, the centre has specialists in psychology, social work, law, healthcare, community management and more. It also has its own protocol for tackling LGBTI-phobic aggression, in conjunction with municipal services such as the Office for Non-Discrimination, the Barcelona Social Emergency and Urgent Care Centre and the Prosecution Service for Hate Crimes.

Cultural and awareness programme

The centre is also a place for artistic expression and standing up for the historical memory of the LGBTI movement. To this end, it hosts exhibitions, discussion cycles, lectures, debates, performing arts shows, screenings and reading clubs, details of which can be found at centrelgtbi.barcelona. One example is the “Corporalitats” cycle being held until the end of April, offering a series of activities to explore bodily diversity in all its joyful resilience, such as the photography exhibition “Les corps incorruptibles”, by Emilie Hallard, a declaration of feminist, queer and anti-racist love. Besides these photos, the centre is also offering mini-videos of the documentary “Famílies Trans*”, by Mar Llop, a project giving a voice to 29 families bringing up children according to their felt gender.

Over 1,200 square metres of multi-purpose space

With its 1,254 square metres of space, the LGBTI Centre offers a welcome and information area, a display area with a regular programme open to all, an auditorium with a capacity for 100 people, a healthcare area, a family area and five rooms for meetings, counselling, training and workshops.

The centre is managed by the Platform for Catalan LGBTI Organisations, the federation that brings together various LGBTI rights entities. Their volunteer work and initiatives give the centre vitality.

A stronger position for .barcelona as a city domain in 2021

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Last year meant a year of consolidation for the .barcelona domain, with the figure of 4,175 renewals similar to previous years. In contrast, the number of new domain registrations reached 786. The overall number of .barcelona domains stands at 5,183, with a renewal rate of 83.06%.

Various new registrations stand out in 2021. For instance, the virtual shop window for neighbourhood commerce bcnmarket.barcelona, sportshub.barcelona and alimentaciosostenible.barcelona.  These three sites provide support for commerce, sustainable food and sport.

Having a .barcelona domain helps get projects off the ground which are beneficial to the city. The income from .barcelona is also reinvested to create projects such as elmeucomerç.barcelona, which has the goal of helping neighbourhood shops and businesses go digital. The establishments that signed up to the programme got a new .barcelona domain through a simple free process. This is a way for shops and businesses to link their digital identity with the city.

A domain open to all

Barcelona became the latest city to set up its own domain in March 2016, when it launched .barcelona. All organisations, companies, individuals and administrations with ties to the city of Barcelona and its catchment area, or who engage in activity there, can register using the city’s domain.

The .barcelona domain is part of the international association geoTLD, which provides it with greater representation within the sector. The community is made up of over a million active top-level geographical domains, such as those using .berlin, .paris, .london and .tokyo. The geoTLD Group works in the interest of geographical domains to promote local identities and disseminate their values.

The idea of a link with a large city such as Barcelona is a key part of the goals of the .barcelona domain, as is backing for city projects and getting on the Catalan capital’s digital map. Users value the fact they can be identified with Barcelona, whether this is for others to find them of because they are identified with the city’s attributes.

What do you know about the Barcelona Ring Roads LEZ?

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Vehicles which pollute the most have been unable to access the low emission zone (LEZ) delimited by the city’s ring roads (Rondes) since 2020. The area covers over 95 square kilometres and circulation restrictions apply to the most pollutant vehicles with the aim of protecting the atmosphere, people’s health and the environment.

The LEZ covers the entire municipality of Barcelona (except for Zona Franca and the neighbourhood of Vallvidrera, el Tibidabo i les Planes), the municipality of Hospitalet de Llobregat and part of the municipalities of Cornellà de Llobregat, Esplugues de Llobregat and Sant Adrià de Besòs.

Users can keep up with all the information relating to the Barcelona Ring Roads LEZ on the project’s website at zbe.barcelona, which uses the city domain to provide details and the latest news on this programme. The site includes information such as which vehicles are affected by the restrictions, details on the regulations, applying for daily authorisations for the most pollutant vehicles to circulate and information on what is being done in terms of sustainable mobility.

Reduction in journeys by vehicles that pollute the most

Since the low emission zone was announced, the most pollutant vehicles have been replaced. These are vehicles which are not suitable to be issued with an environmental rating badge from the Directorate General for Traffic (DGT). In three years, journeys made by cars and motorbikes which pollute the most have dropped, with 550,000 fewer journeys.

At the same time, between the first half of 2020 and February 2021, the volume of vehicles circulating within the LEZ without the environmental badge from the DGT fell from between 9 and 10% to between 3.5 and 4.5%.

Moratorium for vans, lorries and coaches being replaced

The circulation of vehicles without the DGT badge, namely lorries and small coaches (N2, N3 and M2) affected by the end of the moratorium on 31 December, is currently allowed as long as vehicle owners sign a declaration of their intention to acquire a new vehicle. This declaration involves a commitment to renew the vehicle by 30 June 2022. With the moratoriums now over, the hope is that the volume of vehicles circulating in the Ring Roads LEZ without the DGT environmental badge will drop to below 1%.

Vehicles with the following badges can continue to circulate in the LEZ with no restrictions from working Mondays to Fridays this year, between 7 am and 8 pm:

  • Yellow badge (B)
  • Green badge (C)
  • Eco badge (Eco)
  • 0 badge (Zero emissions)

Domains and subdomains: what they are and how they differ

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Internet jargon includes some concepts which are very similar and can cause confusion when it comes to defining them. Two of these are domain and subdomain. What defines them and where do they come into the picture?

We are already familiar with the domain, which is the name we are known by online, a name which is easy to remember and easy to write, associated with a physical internet IP address where our page is housed. A subdomain is basically a domain which forms part of a larger one.

Contrary to what one might think, a subdomain is not a subsection of our domain. For instance, if the domain name is domain.barcelona, the subdomain would not be domain.barcelona/actualitat. That would be a page within a domain. A subdomain would be something like faqs.domain.barcelona.

A subdomain is a new independent website, but without the need to create another domain. It can have its own subsections and function on its own.

Why create a subdomain?

There are various advantages to creating a subdomain. The first is that different sections can be organised completely independently of the website content published on the main domain. This is the main purpose of a subdomain: to separate the different sections of a website and organise content more effectively.

Another reason is to avoid loading your main domain up with information. In practice it is another domain with its own images, extensions and pages. This makes browsing quicker.

Finally, another notable advantage is that you won’t have to pay for another domain. Many registration companies include unlimited subdomains in the price of the domain.

How do I create a subdomain?

First of all, you need to think about the name you want to give it. The shorter and more descriptive it is, the better. For instance, if it is to host an online store, it is best to call it shop.domain.barcelona, so users can see where they are straight away.

Creating a subdomain is not complicated. On the control panel offered by the registration company for your domain there should be a relatively simple option allowing you to create one. Either way, don’t hesitate to check with the technical department and enjoy the advantages of having a subdomain for your .barcelona.

How to protect your brand on the internet

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Being present on the internet is vital when it comes to opening a business, whether we’re giving information on our products and services, explaining who we are or even selling online. Because of this, as soon as we set our minds on starting a project, we need to think about registering the domain we will use as our name on the internet. This is because the domain name will be the one people know us by online. These names are globally unique and there can be no duplicates. Users identify the domain with the business and/or products and services being offered. Because of this it’s essential to choose a good domain name which matches each profile. If you’re unsure where to begin, here are some tips to help you get started.

What many people are unaware of, is that while we might have a registered business name, this does not guarantee the right to use that same name online. This makes it very important to check first to see if the name is available, in other words that nobody else has taken it, and to register it in our company’s name as soon as possible.

It’s also very important to bear in mind the date that the domain registration period expires, as if we don’t renew it within a few days the domain will become available again and anyone could register it.

When it comes to protecting a brand on the internet, it is common to register other domains which are similar, or which have other terminations. This way we avoid many searches taking users to other websites, and we prevent other parties from registering them in a bid to harm our brand. For instance, if our website is lamevabotiga.barcelona, the best way to protect our brand would be to register labotiga.barcelona or latevabotiga.barcelona.

This might initially seem an unnecessary investment, as perhaps we only use one or two of the domains we register, but it is a minor cost compared to the headaches it could save us. Shielding our internet brand is as important or even more important than physically registering it.

“Barcelona is jazz during the festival, so there’s nothing better than jazz.barcelona to get that across”

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We spoke to Agustín Borlán from TheProject, the company organising the Voll-Damm Barcelona Jazz Festival. Borlán is in charge of communications for Amics del Jazz, the festival’s loyalty collective, and is also part of the communications team.

Tell us a bit about the history of the Barcelona Jazz Festival

Crumbs! That’s not easy considering we’re into the 53rd edition. The festival started on 3 November 1966, with a concert by The Dave Brubeck Quartet at the Palau de la Música Catalana, and since then it’s only failed to be held in Barcelona on two occasions. The main universal jazz figures have taken part, from Duke Ellington to Sarah Vaughan, Miles Davis, Keith Jarrett, Ella Fitzgerald, Sonny Rollins, Dexter Gordon, Nina Simone, Jimmy Smith, Ornette Coleman and many more. The local scene has always featured heavily in the programme, which has witnessed the rise of greats such as Andrea Motis and the Sant Andreu Jazz Band. It includes a globally unique cycle of masterclasses from the participating artists themselves, and in 2008 a book was published with the history of the festival, marking its first forty editions.

How important is digitalisation in your business? What channels do you use to communicate with clients?

A sector like ours needs strong connections with the digital framework, as this is basically where ticket sales happen. Traditional channels have less and less impact on the public, hence the shift towards digital publicity. Besides our website and mailshots, which would be the first line of contact, the festival’s social media offer an excellent means of reaching our target audience and also allow for paid advertising campaigns to broaden our follower base and sales. In this respect, investments through Google in both research and display become important tools for promotion and marketing.

What is the bond between the Jazz Festival and Barcelona?

The festival collaborates with institutions here such as the Conservatori del Liceu and the Palau Robert, which is hosting the second edition of the DO Jazz Cat cycle this year and features emerging talent. The concerts are not just held in one place. They take place at big venues such as L’Auditori and the Palau de la Música Catalana, as well as small-format places such as the Harlem Jazz Club and the Milano Jazz Club. The Jazz & Food event, which was a big hit before the pandemic, offered people a free-access family event full of swing and gastronomy. The festival has also offered activities around the library network, at the Filmoteca de Catalunya and other public spaces, taking the big jazz festival out into different corners of the city.

The domain chosen is .barcelona. Why did you opt for .barcelona, what advantages does it give you?

Obviously, that domain didn’t exist in 1966 and neither did any others. For a long time we had more of an ‘international’ domain, but we didn’t hold back when .barcelona came along as the brand was much clearer and geolocated. At the beginning it was a risky move, as changing after so many years prompted certain confusion because of its simplicity, but now everybody agrees it was a good choice. The advantages are obvious, from the direct link between the festival and the city to a more compact, direct and simple brand in the realm of publicity. Barcelona is jazz during the festival, so there’s nothing better than jazz.barcelona to get that across.

Sustainable food’s got the dot!

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The Seasons Menu offers ideas and recipes to foster a healthy and sustainable diet which is good for people and good for the planet, at the same time backing the local economy and the city’s bars and restaurants. The project is being implemented within the context of Barcelona’s role as the World Sustainable Food Capital, an initiative offering over ninety projects and sustainable food policies in a programme which has been running throughout the year.

Sustainable and seasonal local ingredients provide the base for the new menu, designed by three hotel schools and the chef Pere Carrió, from the restaurant Gat Blau. The winter menu, published on the .barcelona website for Sustainable Food, defends the fight against food waste and backs the use of local seasonal produce to help reduce the impact of our food system. The recipes for this edition have been developed by Pere Carrió, chef at the restaurant Gat Blau, the Escola d’Hoteleria i Turisme, operated by the University of Barcelona (CETT), the Escola Superior d’Hostaleria i Turisme Jesuïtes Sarrià – Sant Gervasi and the Escola Superior d’Hostaleria de Barcelona (ESHOB).

The winter menu rounds off the Seasons Menu for this year, which began with the spring menu, courtesy of the chef Carme Ruscalleda. The recipe can be tasted at over 160 restaurants in Barcelona and around Catalonia which have signed up to take part in the Seasons Menu.

The Sustainable Food website also offers other recipes which are recommended as you can make them at home, along with information on healthy eating using seasonal produce, ideas for looking after the planet, workshops, activities and resources for promoting sustainable food.

Shops and businesses in Nou Barris are dot Barcelona

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A new project promoted by the .barcelona domain and the district of Nou Barris will help shops and businesses go digital in this part of the city. The initiative forms part of the social programme by the .barcelona domain, whereby all the funds raised are reinvested to create new projects with a social impact.

Thanks to the project https://www.domini.barcelona/en/elmeucomerc/, shops and businesses in Nou Barris wishing to take part will be able to get their new website published with the .barcelona domain through a quick and easy free process. Registering their .barcelona domain also links them to city values such as enterprise, innovation, proximity and diversity. Their web paths will also be included on the route map and promoted on the communication channels for the .barcelona digital community.

How to take part?

The promotion concludes at the end of December and is open to shops and businesses forming part of commerce networks in the district of Nou Barris, until the limit of 50 establishments for the first edition is reached. Registrations will be accepted in order of reception, and if the offer is oversubscribed the promotors will consider the option of a waiting list for establishments to be included in a new edition of the initiative.

To access the promotion, go to https://www.domini.barcelona/en/elmeucomerc/ for full information and the terms and conditions for taking part. The final step of the registration process is completed on the website for the Nominalia registration company, which is collaborating with the promotion and is tasked with creating the new website.

What will the new website be like?

The site will consist of a single page with vertical navigation and four sections: Who we are, What we do, Where we are and Contact. It will be connected with the establishment’s social media and feature a QR code, a contact form and the option of locating the business on a map. In addition, the promotion includes free registration of the domain for the first year, three email addresses, help with queries, online training to update the website, drafting of legal texts and more.