Re: [wg-c] Chartered TLDs and gTLDs

["Robert F. Connelly" <rconnell@psi-japan.com>]

At 00:25 02-08-99 -0700, Kent Crispin wrote:
>The charter need not specify all details of the policy -- some of
>that can be farmed out to an appropriate organization.  For example,
>the International Council of Museums (www.icom.org) might be
>specified as the authority that determines whether an entity gets an
>entry in .museum.  The ICOM would have to pledge fair, transparent,
>open, unbiased processes for making those determinations, and would
>presumably sign an MoU with ICANN stating so.  Some international
>medical association might serve the same purpose for a .med TLD, and
>so on.

Dear Kent:

A very interesting concept:-)

There is one factor implicit in what you have proposed which has remained 
beneath the surface most of the time.  The only time it was brought up in 
my presence was by an observer at the WIPO meeting in Stanford last 
year.  The speaker was from CICSO and he came to the microphone to point 
out that, until SAIC acquired NSI, SLDs were "administered".  It is the 
lack of any form of administration which led to warehousing and 
cybersquatting, among other things good and evil.

Naturally, NSI has been able to obtain profits from what is really the 
cheapest  "asset" for anyone using the Internet.  You certainly can't get 
an ISP or even a local analog dialup phone line for US$35/year, can you?

IMO, the responsibility of dispensing a SLD is worthy of some degree of 
administration.  For example, Kent, if .firm were to be one of your cTLDs, 
it would require that the Registrant forward to the Registrar a credible 
proof that the corporation, partnership or sole proprietorship exists.

In Japan, JPNic requires a current copy (less than 90 days old) the 
applicant's "tokitohon" or Corporate Register to obtain a "co.jp" domain 
registration.

Of course, we then get into the question of whether the .firm *remains* a 
firm.  Perhaps we would need a "re-affirm" step --- seriously, an annual 
submittal of proof that the business entity is still in business.

Gosh, I don't want to consider all the ramifications before breakfast;-}

Personal regards,
BobC



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"One test is worth three expert opinions!"
Ulric B. Bray