Re: [wg-c] breaking up (names) is hard to do

[Mikki Barry <ooblick@netpolicy.com>]

>I know it's the biggest example around, but would you mind telling me how
>you would go about a domain name change for "aol.com" seeing that there are
>millions (literally. What was it, 14 million customers last count?) of
>people with a FRED-BLOGGS@AOL.COM type email address?
>Millions who have written out business cards, publicized their email
>addresses etc...
>How would you deal with that? The answer is that you CAN'T realistically.
>For better or for worse, AOL will have to continue using "aol.com" for the
>forseeable future no matter how pissed off it got with NSI.
>If NSI tomorrow demands US$10million to renew "aol.com", they might get sued
>by AOL, but AOL would most likely pay up in the meantime while seeking their
>legal remedies (hey, you don't suddenly want 14 million customers calling
>the hotline wondering why their email doesn't work, do you?).
>One of the largest amongst the many BIG problems to deal with is the lock-in
>that so many on these lists seem to live in denial of.
>
>Yours, John Broomfield.

I don't think anyone is living in denial of lock-ins.  My point is that
changing domain names can adversely affect corporations, small businesses,
indivduals, schools, etc. etc.   It isn't just a "large business" issue.