**The following page is a draft for a new helpful front page, with updated information:**

@@=====Welcome to ""OpenNIC""! {{image class="center" alt="OpenNIC logo" title="OpenNIC logo" url="images/logo2.png"}}=====@@

@@====**Why ""OpenNIC""?**====

Looking for a more open and democratic internet? Concerned about censorship? Or maybe you're just looking for a technically minded community? Whatever the reason, OpenNIC is the community for you. [[GettingStarted | Get started today]] by changing your DNS servers and joining our community, and you'll finally be able to take control of your connection to the online world!@@

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@@===Need help?===@@
Visit [[TheLounge | the lounge]] to find out how to get in touch with our community!
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@@===Just tell me where to begin!===@@
@@====**[[GettingStarted | Click Here!]]**====@@
@@OpenNIC Search Engine: [[http://grep.geek grep.geek]]@@
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@@===""OpenNIC"" Nameservers===@@
{{closestt2servers number="4" nosrc="1"}}
For a complete list of DNS servers along with information about each one, see [[https://servers.opennicproject.org/ | servers.opennicproject.org]].
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@@===[[WorkingGroups | Working Groups]]===@@
If you are interested in volunteering to help with one of the projects below, please contact the group coordinator listed.
~- ArchitectureWG
~- AuditingWG
~- EncryptionWG
~- FoundationWG
~- HostmasteringWG
~- PublicRelationsWG
~- WebmasteringWG
~- TranslationWG
~- VotingWG
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@@===Policies===@@
~- [[TLDPolicy | TLD Governing Policy]]
~- [[MailingListPolicy | Mailing List Policy]]
~- [[HostmasteringPolicies | HostmasteringWG Operating Policy]]
~- [[DNSSRVOperation | OpenNIC DNS Policy ]]
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@@===Guidelines===@@
~-[[RegisteringATLD | Proposing and Creating new TLDs through OpenNIC]]
~- [[Tier2ServerConfig | Running a Tier2 OpenNIC Server]]
~- [[SigningTheOpenNICkey | Signing the OpenNIC key]]
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@@===Miscellaneous===@@
~- [[OpenActionItems | Action Items]]
~- [[FAQ | OpenNIC FAQ]]
~- [[Drafts | OpenNIC Draft Area]]
~- [[AbusiveISPs | Abusive ISPs]]
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@@===Other Information===@@
- [[TheLounge | How to get help]]
- [[http://www.opennic.org | OpenNIC Public Homepage and Jump-off Point]]
- [[OpenNICNamespaces | Current OpenNIC TLDs]]
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====FAQ====

==What is OpenNIC?==

[[OpenNIC]] is a user controlled [[Alternative DNS Root]] offering a democratic and non-national alternative to the traditional Top-Level Domain registries, currently served by [[http://www.networksolutions.com/ | Network Solutions]] with policies set by [[http://www.icann.org | ICANN]].

Use of [[https://servers.opennicproject.org/ OpenNIC DNS servers]] will allow name resolution with [[LegacyDNS | the Legacy U.S. Government DNS]], [[OpenNICNamespaces | OpenNIC operated zones]], and namespaces with which we have [[PeerTLDs | peering agreements]].

==What is this site?==

This wiki is an access controlled drafting area for OpenNIC working groups (WGs), as well as a reliable source for detailed information on the operations of OpenNIC. In accordance with our open access philosophy, working group notes are world-readable. Write access to the various WG areas is however limited only to participants (in order to provide a high signal-to-noise ratio). For more information on how to use this wiki, see: WikiCategory first, and then: CategoryWiki.

**If you would like to register an account on this wiki, please contact the wikimaster (brian at opennicproject dot org).**

==How can I help?==

The main thing anyone can do to help is to become a member. Sign up at http://www.opennicproject.org/members/ and join our mailing list! The other great thing you can do to help is to spread the word: even if you don't utilize our TLDs, our extensive DNS network is still the quickest around!

If you wish to get more involved, most of our coordination takes place on [[TheLounge | IRC]], the [[MailingLists | Mailing List]], or this wiki. If you want to contribute to any specific [[WorkingGroups | projects]], get in touch with the coordinator of a Working Group!

==I need help getting started!==

There are plenty of OpenNIC folks available to help with whatever problem you may be having with an OpenNIC server, setup to resolve OpenNIC TLDs, volunteering to set up a Tier 2 server, etc. Please use one of the following contact methods (listed in order of preference). The OpenNIC administrators monitor all of these, and you'll usually receive a response within hours.
~- Post a message to the [[MailingLists | "discuss" mailing list]]
~- Find help on the IRC channel (#opennic on freenode)
~- Send us an email at [[support@opennicproject.org]] /* DOES THIS EMAIL STILL EXIST? */

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===License===
The content of this wiki is licensed under the {{license type="CC-BY-SA" display="inline"}}. {{license type="CC-BY-SA" display="badge"}}
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We provide all our services for free, forever. If you wish to help out but can't contribute time or server space, please consider making a donation to help us stay running.

Bitcoin: 1GfmMBvDUYVDWyLcDfHwPRwVdec2pg3FrG
ETH: 0x8111dc2100a2aCA8138c49B4A10766eF481530a6
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