[comments-wgb] Comments against sunrise +20

[lars@Earthling.net]

Dear Sirs,

Though it was recommended that this list be deactivated, it appears to    
still be accepting comments. I hope that this and others will provide 
value to future discussions on the issue.

Having read through the comments so far, I compiled some notes reflecting
my thoughts. I am a web user and domain name holder. Currently my uses are
non-commercial - but that could change. So I represent both a small
business and a non-commercial stance on the issue

- Most companies already have a presence on the web. They don't need to
grab new domain names. Domain names are just a way to map words to IP
addresses (or by extension, an 'entity/purpose' on the web). More than one
domain per IP or identity is superfluous and actually an abuse of the
system. See my note below regarding finding entities in a multi-TLD world.

The main reason that new TLDs are needed is similar to area codes. Useful
and meaningful and appropriate words and phrases are getting hard to find
with the current TLD's. Just appropriating half the dictionary for
existing web presenses really defeats the purpose. 

If new .shop type TLD's are established, they should be for companies that
do not have a satisfactory domain name in the existing TLDs. Historically,
companies with the same or similar names have existed in different
locations and industries for a long time. Opening up new TLD's without the
kind of regulation proposed by sunrise +20 gives companies that missed out
on good domains for .com, etc., to get something more useful. It shouldn't
matter that acme.com and acme.web are actually two different (even
competing) companies.

- Regarding tradmark issues in general, let the legal system sort it out -
maybe new laws need to be passed, and maybe free appeal systems should be
established to protect the little guy.  Even in the pre-internet world, a
large company could steal a patent from a small inventor, and the small
inventor would be financially unable to protect himself.

- Let code and entrepreneurs solve the problem. New types of yellow pages
can be developed, similar to search engines, where you can find certified
company urls on the net. As more tld's are developed, we may need this
sort of tool to figure out which tld a domain for our friend or a company
or 'identity' maps to, anyway. Digital signing can help people be sure
they're dealing with a legitimate sight. 

Bottom line, the internet has been and should remain a free space for
those of us who want and need it. If the web wants to be commercial, maybe
we need a commercial web protocol and a non-commercial web protocol -
different roots, etc. 

Thank you,

Lars Cedar
lars@earthling.net