The original dots for individuals were com, net, and org, short for "commercial," "network," and "organization." It's interesting the way people's choices align with their ideology, when they are free to choose. (Yes, people do choose communism.) If you were a capitalist, you chose dot com without a qualm, even if you knew your site would never make a dime. If you were a lefty, you chose dot org, because you were not comfortable outside the collective. If you were uneasily between, but wanted to think of yourself as non-ideological, you chose dot net.