Re: [wg-c] is this really the work we have before us?

[Dave Crocker <dcrocker@brandenburg.com>]

At 11:34 PM 8/22/99 , Christopher Ambler wrote:
> > At that level of generality, it does indeed sound appealing.
>
>Great, I'm glad we agree. Now, let's see if we can get specific and
>keep it appealing.
>
> > 1.  What are the real details that would adequately describe, require and
> > constrain service (and fees)?
>
>Please help and define some. This is a consensus-building. Off the top
>of my head, I can think of: substantiated complaints to ICANN by end-users,
>uptime, reliability (QoS issues), limitation on price increases (anti-
>gouging provisions), mandatory adherance to ethical business
>practice... can you come up with some?

The fact that I find the generality appealing doesn't mean that I think it 
is practical to pursue the particulars.  In fact, I don't, any more than it 
is practical to have a "shared root".  However you are free to try to put 
forward a serious and detailed proposal and see whether it is sufficiently 
detailed, sufficiently practical and gains sufficient support.  I believe 
the second requirement is the show-stopper.

>Why do you want to constrain fees? First off, that might be price-fixing,

Chris, please do stop trying to talk like a lawyer.  Jumping that quickly 
to the legal assertion is premature and likely wrong.  For one thing, price 
is very much a part of service.  For situations in which there are strong 
SLAs, price is very much included.  Second is that fact that a registry has 
undue control over registrants, due to lock-in, thereby warranting a 
counter-force such as contractual fee constraints.

>which is illegal. Second, the market tends to take care of that
>nicely (if it's too expensive, people don't buy). Now, if you're
>talking about RENEWALS, and jacking-up the price, you have

Yes.

>Remember, Dave, even if registries are re-bid every 2 years,
>there's nothing that says I can't charge you $5 the first year,
>and then say, "Hell, I'm going to be re-bid anyway, make it $5000
>this year!" the next.

You seem awfully sure of the absence of counter-pressures in such situations.

> > 2.  What real-world examples of this approach are there, to give substance
> > to teh belief that it will work?
>
>I could ask the same of your plan, but I won't.

Too bad.  I'd have cited England's operation.

d/

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Dave Crocker                                         Tel: +1 408 246 8253
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