RealNames Shuts Down, Ends Microsoft Deal

RealNames Corp. is shutting its alternative naming system for the Internet after Microsoft Corp. decided to stop incorporating the system in its Internet Explorer browsers. The decision means that users who had reached certain Web sites through shortcuts from RealNames would need to type in the full address or use a search engine. Users who had typed in Chinese or Japanese addresses may find their sites unreachable.

The shutdown takes effect June 30, when the partnership between RealNames and Microsoft ends. RealNames laid off its 83 employees Friday, though some will serve as consultants during the transition. Although the RealNames system was designed independent of any specific browser, it needed a major platform like the Microsoft browser to allow for users to recognize keywords.