Re: [comments-gtlds] The IOD/.web Situation

[Greg Skinner <gds@best.com>]

"A. Henderson" <gtld@888.nu> wrote:

> 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
> reregistrations 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.

I agree with your observation about most lay Internet users and
businesspeople not being very well-infomed about the new gTLD issues.
There are several reasons for this, including:

* not much media coverage
  (arguably, there are equally serious topics being covered in the
   business media)
* most of these discussions tend to take place in forums that lay
  Internet people tend not to frequent
* it is difficult to present these issues in such a way that would motivate
  lay Internet people to take active steps to educate and involve themselves
  (the issues are quite complex, requiring considerable time to research
   the information, follow the discussions, etc)

--gregbo