Re: [ga] VeriSign/RealNames

["Tim Langdell" <tim@xtns.net>]

Danny

I do not speak for either Realnames or VeriSign, but I feel compelled to
correct you on what you say. Realnames Keywords are not in any way in
potential or real conflict with ICANN approved domain names. Keywords are
either single words or more than word separate by spaces (not dots). These
are the Keywords that VeriSign and Realnames announced would be available
via the VeriSign network. There is thus no possibility of different answers
as you say, or variance based on choice of browser (other than for Realnames
Keywords, which is surely not a concern for you is it? Certainly not for
ICANN).

Last, Realnames Keywords do not "look like TLDs". Again, they lack dots in
them and instead have spaces or are single words.

Tim


----- Original Message -----
From: <dannyyounger@cs.com>
To: <lynn@icann.org>
Cc: <ga@dnso.org>
Sent: Thursday, October 11, 2001 11:37 AM
Subject: [ga] VeriSign/RealNames


> Dear Stuart,
>
> In ICP-3 you wrote:
>
> &#8220;They work under the philosophy that if they get there first with
something that looks like a TLD and invite many registrants to participate,
then ICANN will be required by their very presence and force of numbers to
recognize in perpetuity these pseudo TLDs, inhibiting new TLDs with the same
top-level name from being launched through the community's processes.
>
> No current policy would allow ICANN to grant such preferential rights. To
do so would effectively yield ICANN's mandate to introduce new TLDs in an
orderly manner in the public interest to those who would simply grab all the
TLD names that seem to have any marketplace value, thus circumventing the
community-based processes that ICANN is required to follow. For ICANN to
yield its mandate would be a violation of the public trust under which ICANN
was created and under which it must operate. Were it to grant such
preferential rights, ICANN would abandon this public trust, rooted in the
community, to those who only act for their own benefit. Indeed, granting
preferential rights could jeopardize the stability of the DNS, violating
ICANN's fundamental mandate.&#8221;
>
> Today VeriSign announced that is making RealNames Keywords available to
its global network of over 90 domain name registrars, enabling those
registrars to sell Keywords.  The RealNames Keyword system is integrated
into Microsoft Internet Explorer browser software.  This creates the
prospect that &#8220;different answers&#8221; will be given to the same
query depending upon the user&#8217;s choice of browser.
>
> As ICANN has a role as a coordinator, how do you view this major product
launch which utilizes a layer on top of DNS, in effect creating
&#8220;something that looks like a TLD&#8221;?
>
>
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