Re: [wg-c-1] WORK: Question #1 New GTLDs

[dwmaher@ibm.net]

At 04:29 PM 7/12/99 -0400, Milton Mueller wrote:
>There are a lot of analogies to radio frequency allocation and licensing 
>here that
>need to be considered, especially with respect to the property status of gTLD
>delegations.
[clip]
>Taking the radio analogy in a separate direction, there is now growing 
>interest in
>"unlicensed" bands of spectrum which anyone can share and use at their own 
>risk. It
>is a kind of Ethernet of the airwaves, congestion and performance depend on 
>who else
>is using the band at the same time. No license needed. There are many 
>applications
>that might flourish in such an environment.

Please name one. The idea that use of the electromagnetic spectrum will
flourish with multiple competing transmitters on the same frequency in the
same area is mind-boggling. Yes, congestion and performance will depend on
who else is using the band at the same time. I believe the laws of physics
still apply and that static will be the only result.
	Similarly, if we allow everyone and anyone to claim any gTLD that sounds
popular, whether it's .sex, .law, or anything else, who decides who gets
the good ones? Who decides who gets the good one that allows the
entrepeneur to go public and be the next NSI? I don't believe first come,
first served is the answer. I believe that leaving it to the courts is an
even worse answer.

>Here there is a clear analogy to shared-registration TLDs.
>
>We can accommodate the proprietary model. We can accommodate the shared 
>model.

If we were starting with a clean slate (and we are not), there could be
accomodation for multiple models. Unfortunately, the reality is that,
except for government controlled ccTLDs, there is one proprietary
monopolist at the moment (NSI), and there are also some powerful trademark
interests who are deathly afraid of more gTLDs. The real world result is
that, if there are to be any additional gTLDs, they will have to be
introduced at a controlled rate.
	In addition we have some entrepreneurs with dollar signs dancing in their
heads who see the opportunity to grab popular letter combinations and make
fortunes from them. I don't see this as the best way to run the Internet.

	ICANN deserves our support through these working groups with discussion of
all viewpoints on *substantive* issues.