This week I am writing my first column called JuicyBrain for Eden Express. This column will focus on digital technology, the Internet and innovation. For the first week I have decided to start with the very basics. First of all I think it is vital that we all register our names online. Yes, own your name on the Internet. You need to own your name before someone else does. This could be your company name or your own name. Maybe even your child’s name. Owning your name is no longer such an expensive exercise. You basically pay a fixed fee per year just to renew your registration.

It is said that a young couple in the US actually had to change the name they wanted to give their unborn daughter after they realised that the name they chose was registered online. That in itself was not the problem, but the problem was that it was registered by a well-known porn star with the same name.

If you plan to start a company or if you are thinking about the name of your baby, it is a great idea to first type the name into your browser address bar. Good options to check are .com, .co.za, and .net. These three are the most important for South Africans. There are of course many other extensions that you could also make use of.  To register a .com domain I recommend you follow this link www.wookio.com.

I registered my name a few years ago and I am still very happy that I did. I registered both the .com and the .co.za domains and you will also be able to read all my previous columns and also this one online whenever you visit the JuicyBrain blog at www.juicybrain.co.za. You will find the weekly column and much more there.

Readers with any questions related to digital technology are more than welcome to e-mail me. If I am able to assist,
I’ll gladly do so and might even discuss your question in this column to enlighten others.

Nico Baird is a new media expert and can be contacted at nico@juicybrain.co.za or visit www.juicybrain.co.za.