At a time when everybody wants to be a dot-com, InfoSpace is shooing away the distinction.

In a curious turn against the current, InfoSpace said Thursday it will drop the ".com" from its name. The move is part of the company_s attempt to revamp its image into a behind-the-scenes player that makes Web sites more compelling, rather than a company that deals directly with Net consumers. While InfoSpace may be one of the first major companies to rub away its Internet birthmark, it won_t be the last. According to some industry observers, the dot-com frenzy will soon go the way of grunge rock-- an outdated fad that swept by quickly but left an impression. "We_re quickly coming to a point where we dont need that because the Web is going to be pervasive in our lives," said David Placek, president and founder of Lexicon Branding. "Their brand is InfoSpace. The ".com" is just a moniker," he added. InfoSpace_s name change is significant, given the tidal wave of dot-com marketing that has virtually taken over all major media. Net start-ups flush with venture capital or IPO cash are aggressively launching branding campaigns with almost religious zeal. That_s because competition is fierce among companies trying to embed themselves as Internet brands into the public consciousness.