[wg-c] Chartered TLDs (Re: From Working Group C: Bill Semich's Position on New gTLDs)

[Eric Brunner <brunner@world.std.com>]

Forwarded to the wg-c list for Harald, who writes that he's neither
a subscriber to wg-c, nor had a cup of coffee ...

> A TLD operated under the decision authority of the Assembly of First 
> Nations or the National Congress of American Indians is certainly possible, 
> IMHO.
> 
> The (relatively) calm .edu, .mil and .gov TLDs are existence proof that 
> it's possible to operate a chartered TLD when the decision authority is 
> clearly defined.
> 
> The "only" questions that ICANN has to decide when evaluating such a 
> suggestion are:
> 
> - Is the name appropriate?
> 
> - Is the suggested authority the appropriate authority?
> There are plenty of examples of it being hard to say who speaks for a 
> people, the Kurdish people being only one of the more violent ones. (From 
> Eric's note, it seems that in this case we have only 2 candidates, and they 
> are friends at the moment....)
> 
> - When should this gTLD be installed (now, later or never)?
> Given that ICANN seems committed to a number of gTLDs less than a thousand, 
> there has to be a ranking of candidates, and only the first few get 
> chartered now; I don't envy anyone the task of making the cut.
> 
> Kent gave a lot more good points to consider in his note; one he didn't 
> mention was the question of appropriate law. I assume the law of the place 
> of registration of the decision-making body would probably be appropriate.
> 
> So yes, if you are willing to appoint someone with the power to decide, I 
> too think a chartered TLD is possible.
> 
> My personal opinion (this morning, before coffee) is that the initial cut 
> should include (at least?) 2 domains, one of which is "open" and one of 
> which is "chartered, with powerful decision-making body". Then, after a 
> year, we can see which ones are seen as useful and which ones are seen as 
> having IP problems. (My opinion might change after coffee.....)
> 
> (I've deleted wg-c from the CC list - I'm not a member.....feel free to 
> forward if you want to....)
> 
>                                Harald
> 
> 
> --
> Harald Tveit Alvestrand, Maxware, Norway
> Harald.Alvestrand@maxware.no