[comments-gtlds] The IOD/.web Situation

["A. Henderson" <gtld@888.nu>]

When I heard recently about IOD and their .web registry, I thought I
would go and register some .web domains. However, as I learned, most of
the "good" domains had already been taken. Trying to find a good .web to
register seemed just about as hard as finding a good .com, .net, or
.org.

Now, forgive me if I'm wrong, but isn't the whole purpose of the new
gTLDs to expand the shrinking namespace? I don't see how letting IOD's
preregistrations of the .web domains stand would help solve anything.

My simple suggestion is that ICANN wipe the slate clean and says no
preregistrations will stand. This way when the new gTLDs do come out,
everyone will have a fighting chance to obtain a decent name.

Furthermore, it seems to me that any preregistration system totally
defeats the purpose of the addition of new gTLDs. Let's face it, most
lay Internet users and businesspeople are not well-informed about the
new gTLD issue and are unaware about preregistrations. So who are the
people preregistering these domains? Most of them are the cybersquatters
and speculators that have ruined the current namespace.

Everybody should have an equal opportunity to get a decent name, and no
one registrar should be given a monopoly over a gTLD. If we don't ensure
these things, the expansion of the namespace would serve no useful
purpose.
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