can a .org operate for profit?

[Clara]

I used to use couchsurfing.org, but now there's a $25 registration fee. Shouldn't they lose their .org status?

[tumbleweed_biff]

There is no such requirement. The dot org is a convention to which most subscribe but not all. It does not even have to be a non-profit. At that, a non-profit organization can charge whatever it costs to provide the service - they just can't make a profit as a company.

[A Woman]

When .org was created it was non-profit only, but now you can use it for everything.

[Netdhunia]

Well domain extensions do not have their original value anywhere around. I have seen many profitable niche websites built around .org and .net I have my friend who built two successful websites (niches) with .org domains as he got them 5$ and sold them for 800$ each after 2 months. Infact popular technology blogs use them.

@couchsurfing.org: Why in this world can provide free by spending their precious time? Even wikipedia makes money out of donations. If wikipedia does not do it, it can not handle its bursting servers. So, does every company. But having .org and moving towards commercialism should be stopped as it is unethical if brands think about reputation.

But in this case, they need some money atleast for maintaining themselves and their servers.