Re: [wg-c] Geographically allocated names

[Rod Dixon <rod@cyberspaces.org>]

Milton,

I applaud your efforts to stretch our orientation beyond the English
language. If we could only solve more of these big issues.

Seriously, I think you are pulling us in the direction of a political
debate that is far beyond this group's mandate. In essence, you are
deconstructing the conception of a gTLD, which is a nice academic
exercise, but I wonder if it's really the proper province of an ICANN
working group. If ccTLDs did not exist, I would consider joining you in
this ambitious effort. Nonetheless, I am very reluctant to endeavor,
ostensibly, to expand the reach and influence of ICANN in this manner.
Shouldn't we really just focus upon the issues before us? 

Milton Mueller wrote:
> 
> I am continually surprised by the ethnocentrism of this discussion.
> Pray, tell me, what is a "globally generic" term? What language is it in? What
> concepts or meanings does it evoke? When you assert that the generic character
> of a term is "intuitively accessible," is it not obvious that all forms of
> "intuition" are culturally relative and specific?
> 
> If "com" has achieved the status of a globally generic identifier among the less
> than 10 percent of the world's population that now has access to the Internet,
> it is because it is learned. Should not other language and culture groups have
> an equal opportunity to define globally generic terms that could be learned by
> North Americans and Europeans?
> 
> john.c.lewis@bt.com wrote:
> 
> > Is there any logic to regionally assigning generic TLDs which can represent
> > global interests ?
> >
> > Surely the principle should be to determine generic dimensions which are not
> > restricted to national or regional cultural boundaries? These should be
> > intuitively accessible.
> >
> > Regards
> >
> > John C Lewis
> > Manager - International Organisations Europe
> > BT delegate ETNO Executive Board
> > BT delegate EURODATA Foundation Board
> > Tel: +44 (0) 1442 295258 Mob: +44 (0) 802 218271
> > Fax: +44 (0) 1442 295861
> >
> 
> --
> m i l t o n   m u e l l e r // m u e l l e r @ s y r . e d u
> syracuse university          http://istweb.syr.edu/~mueller/

-- 


Rod Dixon, J.D., LL.M.
Visiting Assistant Professor of Law
Rutgers University School of Law - Camden
rod@cyberspaces.org
http://www.cyberspaces.org