[ga] Re: [Verisign and WLS: The Mike Tysons of domain proposals]

[Loren Stocker <loren@800.net>]

Hi All,

Give Chuck Gomes enough rope and.... 

What I liked the best was his comment, "Why needlessly worry Registrants.." I
love this! In it's own words, Verisign admits WLS would "worry" Registrants.
Then goes on to suggest we best not tell them!

Also, the part that, "Even SnapNames admits that about half of their SnapBacks
are probably from speculators." Does Chuck not get it? It's the OTHER half --
and that's a hugh number of mostly individuals-- who are the very consumers
Versign believes are helpless or, in Chucks words, "they hardly have any
chance at all." Well, is this not absurd? They have SnapNames -- a very
effective tool! 

Finally, the WLS price should be high so, "it would be less profitable for
them [the speculators] and more beneficial for a regular consumer." Is this a
joke? Does anyone believe that $30 is going to deter speculation and benefit
consumers? Price may raise the threshold for using a WLS optioin, but the only
"benefit" is the windfall cash to VSRG. How does that benefit consumers?

In VSRG's defense, it has proven overall to that deletions are, "fairly and
uniformly" enforced-- so part of what Chuck says is true. But, Chuck is also
correct to say -- again in his own words -- "I don't have a clue what is ill
defined with regard to deletions." Verisign's expert spokeperson has now
confessed that he is indeed clueless that his sister company is withholding
hundreds of thousands of names from the public. Or, is that over a million?

Best, Loren


George Kirikos <gkirikos@yahoo.com> wrote:
Hello,

Last night, a post by Chuck Gomes was put up on the Transfers Task
Force mailing list, re: WLS, at:

http://www.dnso.org/clubpublic/nc-transfer/Arc00/msg00252.html

I was going to respond this morning to its misinformation, but Ross
Radar did a masterful job at:

http://www.dnso.org/clubpublic/nc-transfer/Arc00/msg00255.html

The most hilarious paragraph Chuck wrote was:

"[Gomes, Chuck] If the above two recommendations are based on the
reasoning in this document that has absolutely no documented, objective
data as its foundation, then the transfers task force has provided the
community with live evidence that the DNSO processes are horribly
flawed.  I would like to think that ICANN staff can recognize a
politically motivated action from one that is objectively based."

in response to the recommendations that WLS be rejected. I trust that
the ICANN staff can differentiate the words of those who are truly
looking out for consumers and competition, and those coming from a
self-serving abusive monopolist like Verisign. The only time Verisign
notices consumers is when they're running over them.

I also found it hilarious that Chuck tried to justify higher prices for
WLS as being in the interests of consumers. Verisign would have a lot
more credibility talking about benefits to consumers were it not doing
so while its hands are constantly in our pockets. In the immortal words
of Charlton Heston:

"Get your stinking paws off me, you damned dirty ape!" 

While Verisign was once the 800 pound gorilla, a Mike Tyson of domains
that everyone feared, that could push around consumers, other
registrars, and even ICANN with impunity to serve its own needs, I'm
happy to see that the DNSO is looking to preserve competition through
its sound rejection of WLS. The DNSO is reminding Verisign that they
serve us, the consumers, and not the other way around. Their monopoly
becomes abusive the moment they forget that, and seek to enrich
themselves at the expense of all other market participants, as they
have attempted with WLS.

Just like Mike Tyson, Verisign's time has passed, as new agile
competitors have climbed the ranks, and sophisticated consumers no
longer believe the paternalistic "father knows best" routine emanating
from Virginia. Instead of offering us real values and innovation
through its offerings, a win-win scenario, Verisign has been revealed
"in the ring" to have limited skills, and has taken a pounding before
ultimately being knocked out.

With apologies to the ladies, Chuck's latest post shows to me that
Verisign hits like a girl, with no force or credibility behind its
arguments. 

The only question that remains is whether Verisign will say "no mas",
while we dance around the ring showing them the bolo punches, or
instead whether they will wait for "Lennox Lewis" at the ICANN meeting
to show them their final destiny.

Sincerely,

George Kirikos
http://www.kirikos.com/

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