[ga] Re: Urgent: questions for ICANN Board Candidates

["Paul Cotton" <paulc@joinin.com>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Kent Crispin" <kent@songbird.com>

Almost as mind-numbingly stupid as claiming that Nominet could use some
alternate root service.  Both claims are irresponsible, unrealistic
bluster.
--- end ---

The scenario related to Nominet being forced into the position by ICANN.
Obviously it would be emminently preferable for Nominet to remain a part of
the ICANN root for .uk - but given the dominant domestic nature of .uk if
the hand were forced, UK ISP's could use an alternative root server that did
resolve Nominets .uk's outside of ICANN's root.  Nobody in their right mind
would WANT this to happen, but if circumstances dictated then it could be
done.  I have no doubt the UK government would side with Nominet over
ICANN's wishes and the ISP's would ensure they could offer all the .uk sites
that their customers wanted.

--- start ---
Perhaps.  But 1) ISPs don't handle all name resolutions, and thus, they
can't really solve the problem; and 2) ISPs in the rest of the world
would not be under such a constraint.  The banks etc would have to
decide whether they wanted their names to resolve outside the UK, in the
root zone that 99% of the rest of the world uses.  If so, they would
quickly register in the new registry.  Otherwise, they might not.  The
ICANN root zone offers some thing that no ccTLD root zone could offer --
current and continuing worldwide visibility.
--- end ---

This ignores that .uk is more important to the domestic market rather than
to the worldwide arena.  The banks etc would want to look after their
customers, and their customers would want to be able to resolve the entire
existing .uk namespace as that is where a significant proportion of the
sites they already use would reside.  It would not be necessary for the
domain registrants to register in the new registry, as the close to 3
million existing nominet .uk registrations are reason enough for ISP's to
make sure they can offer that resolution.

Never underestimate the power of patriotism even in the face of logic,
especially in the UK.

I understand this is all hyperthetical argument and it simply won't happen
regardless.

Regards

Paul Cotton


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