[Pre-RFC] DNS domains as package namespaces

flyingcog:

Wouldn't this apply to domains as well?

No, because domain names are like package names -- the name itself is immutable, it's only the ownership records the name points to that change.

flyingcog:

I think you underestimate how much that can be for certain population especially that it requires having a credit card or bank account. In my childhood/college I was more active in FLOSS community but at the same time I had very tight budget. Not it is much cheaper but I also have much less time to be engaged in FLOSS community...

Other costs are not necessarily impossible to get. For example schools and libraries have computer labs. They are also de-facto necessities - if you are in school/college you probably need something to write coursework, have internet connection and have electricity. I doubt that incremental cost of rust contributions are $15/year.

If someone does not have access to any source of funding or online payments then:

1. The global namespace is still available, they have not been restricted in any way by the addition of domain-based namespaces.
2. Many sites offer free subdomains with static file hosting. The major code hosts (GitHub, GitLab, Codeberg, Sourcehut), network service providers (Cloudflare Pages, Google AppEngine), various small hosts (Neocities, Nekoweb).
3. Schools and universities have domain names. If someone is in university and wants a free file host to put up a ~500 byte JSON file so they can publish Rust packages under jdoe.class2026.compsci.someuniv.edu/ then I'm sure the undergrad managing the website would be open to the idea.