Domain Firm to Promote Centraal System

By Karen Kaplan

Dec. 10, 1998 12 AM PT

Centraal Corp. said Internet domain name administrator Network Solutions will promote its RealNames system for addressing Web pages. Network Solutions will also invest $4.2 million in Centraal to gain a 10% stake in the Palo Alto company, with an option to increase its stake to 20%. The RealNames system allows Web surfers to find pages on the Internet by typing in common keywords at some search engine sites instead of relying on specific Web site addresses, such as https://www.latimes.com. Centraal has registered 15,000 RealNames to customers who pay $100 a year, said founder and Chief Executive Keith Teare. Herndon, Va.-based Network Solutions will market, sell and service RealNames subscription orders directly and through its 150 partners worldwide, the companies said. Teare also said Centraal is close to an agreement to include software for the RealNames system on Compaq Computer’s Presario models.

Technology and the Internet Business

Karen Kaplan

Karen Kaplan covers science and medical research for the Los Angeles Times. She has been a member of the science team since 2005, including 13 years as an editor. Her first decade at The Times was spent covering technology in the Business section as both a reporter and editor. She grew up in San Diego and is a graduate of MIT and Columbia University.

Domain Firm to Promote Centraal System

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