PLAN ADDS 7 ENDINGS FOR INTERNET ADDRESSES.

Byline: Elizabeth Weise Associated Press 

Just as Internet users got used to the difference between disney.com and redcross.org, seven new sets of address endings could appear as early as May to identify groups and individuals who want their own on-line tags.

Demand for Internet addresses is going through the roof, with about 80,000 new names being registered a month. The need for on-line identity is so strong that name disputes have ended up in court as trademark infringement battles.

A plan announced last week would restructure the system for assigning Internet addresses, or ``domain names.''

Right now, all Internet addresses in the United States end in one of six ways: .com for commercial businesses, .org for nonprofit organizations, .net for networks, .edu for educational institutions, .gov for governmental bodies or .mil for the military.

Under the proposal by the International Ad Hoc Committee, seven endings would be added: .store for businesses offering goods, .info for information services, .nom for individuals who want personal sites, .firm for businesses or firms, .web for entities emphasizing the World Wide Web, .arts for cultural groups and .rec for recreational or entertainment activities.

The committee is made up of 11 representatives of Internet, legal and other international standards groups. It officially began work two months ago.

``There was a very substantial amount of Internet community pressure to come up with a plan quickly,'' said David Crocker, editor of the report and director of the Internet Mail Consortium.

The change wouldn't affect existing names, only those applied for in the future.

Before it can go into effect, the plan must be approved by the Internet Society and the Internet Assigned Numbers Authority, nonprofit international organizations that help oversee the functioning of the Net.