[ga] Fw: Announcement of the 2nd Meeting of the CSTB Study Committee onInternet Navigation and the Domain Name System

[Bruce James <bmjames@swbell.net>]

Subject: Announcement of the 2nd Meeting of the CSTB Study Committee on
Internet Navigation and the Domain Name System



The Computer Science and Telecommunications Board (CSTB)
of the National Academies announces the second meeting of
its study committee on

INTERNET NAVIGATION AND THE DOMAIN NAME SYSTEM:
Technical Alternatives and Policy Implications

This project will examine the impact of technological developments
and policy changes on the domain name system and other mechanisms
that individuals rely upon to navigate the Internet.  The final report
(to be issued in 2002) is expected to characterize the research,
development, institutions, policies, and procedures needed
to ensure that navigation on the Internet remains feasible and can improve
in capability throughout the coming decade.  The report will include a
discussion of the important and unresolved issues concerning trademarks.
(See below for the full project scope)  This study is sponsored by the
U. S. Department of Commerce and the National Science Foundation
and is mandated by the U. S. Congress through Public Law 105-305.

* Second Meeting of the Project
The next committee meeting of this study will take place on July 11-13
at the School of Information Management and Systems at the
University of California at Berkeley.  The sessions open to
observers include:

** Wednesday July 11

*** Multilingual Names
John Klensin, AT&T and Committee Member (Chair)
Paul Hoffman, Internet Mail Consortium
Tan Tin Wee, National University of Singapore
David Lawrence, Nominum

*** Uses of the Domain Name System
KC Claffy, Cooperative Association for Internet Data Analysis,
San Diego Supercomputer Center, Univ. of Calif. at San Diego
Karl Auerbach

** Thursday July 12

*** Naming and Searching
Clifford Lynch, Coalition for Networked Information
Marti Hearst, University of California at Berkeley
Leslie Daigle, Verisign (by telephone)

*** Internet Keywords
Keith Teare, RealNames
Yves Arrouye, RealNames

*** Search Engines, Directory Systems and Information Services
Eric Brewer, University of California at Berkeley and Inktomi

*** New Directions
Carl Malamud, NetTopBox
Joe Hellerstein, University of California at Berkeley
Mark Handley (invited), A&T Center for Internet Research

** Advance Registration for Observers
Since space is limited for observers, advance registration is
strongly recommended; please contact Margaret Huynh at
<mhuynh@nas.edu> or 202-334-2605 by 3 p.m. (eastern time)
on July 9th to register.  Ms. Huynh can also provide details
concerning the times for each session, directions, and on-site
parking.  Additional details concerning this meeting
or the study may be found at the Web site of the National
Academies <www.nationalacademies.org>.  Click on
"current projects" (at the top of the screen) and search
for the name of this study.

* Public Comment and Project Updates
Public comments to the study committee are welcome and may
be made at any time by sending email to <nrcisdns@nas.edu>.
CSTB will also be providing periodic updates on the project
and notices of upcoming sessions open to the public via an
e-mail list.  If you wish to receive these updates, please send
your request to <nrcisdns@nas.edu> as well.

* Detailed Project Scope
This project will examine the future of Internet navigation and the
domain name system (DNS) in light of the evolution and interaction
of Internet usage, information technology, the economy, and society.
The original purpose of the DNS was to provide identifiers for network
objects that are more easily remembered and enduring than the
numerical addresses and port numbers used by the network infrastructure.
However, domain names are now often used for purposes for which
they were not originally intended, such as searching, corporate
identification and marketing.  And certain domain names, especially
those in the .com top-level domain, have acquired substantial
economic value, leading to conflict and competition over their ownership
and a perceived scarcity of desirable names.

The continuing increase in the number of Internet users and sites,
the deepening integration of the Internet into the economy and social
processes; the growth in embedded computing devices, and the
possible introduction of permanent personal and object identifiers -
among other factors - pose challenges to the continued viability and
usefulness of the DNS, as currently constituted. This project will
describe and evaluate emerging technologies and identify how they
might affect the ability of users to find what they are seeking on the
Internet and the role of the DNS.  Some of the topics to be considered
include: extension of the DNS through the addition of generic top level
domains and multilingual domain names; introduction of new name
assignment and indexing schemes (including alternate root servers);
adoption of new directory structures or services for locating information
resources, services, or sites of interest; and deployment of improved
user interfaces.

The technologies that support finding information on the Internet are
deployed within a complex and contentious national and international
policy context.  As is true in other contexts relating to trademarks and
comparable identifiers, the "right" to use a particular domain name
can often be disputed.  These disputes include conflicts among
commercial claimants as well as conflicts between non-commercial
and commercial claimants.  Effective solutions must consider the
potentially competing interests of domain name owners and trademark
holders; the different interests of stakeholders including businesses,
from small firms to multinational corporations; educational, arts, and
research institutions; not-for-profit charitable and service organizations;
government entities at all levels from town to nation; nation-states
and international organizations; and individuals (i.e., the general
public); as well as public interests such as freedom of speech
and personal privacy.

The project's report will examine the degree to which the options
offered by new technology or new uses of existing technology
can mitigate concerns regarding commercial and public interests
(which will include a discussion of trademark-related issues),
facilitate or impede further evolution of the Internet, and affect
steps being taken to enhance competition among domain name
registrars, the portability of Internet names, and the stability of the
Internet.  For each of the prospective technologies, the final report
is expected to characterize the institutions, governance structures,
policies, and procedures that should be put in place to complement
it and will specify the research (if any) required to design, develop,
and implement the technology successfully.  Also identified will be
the options foregone or created by particular technologies and
the difficulties associated with each technological alternative.

This project is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Commerce and
the National Science Foundation and is mandated by the U.S.
Congress through Public Law 105-305.  For additional information,
contact the study director, Alan Inouye, at <ainouye@nas.edu>
or (202) 334-2849.

Additional information describing the National Academies
study process may be found at
<http://www.nationalacademies.org/about/ensuring.html>.
Additional information concerning CSTB may be found
at <www.cstb.org>.


/Bruce








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