Re: [wg-c] Re: nine principles for domain names

["Philip Sheppard" <philip.sheppard@aim.be>]

Eric, Karl, Bret, William, Jonathan, Mark et al
Thank you for your comments.
1. Your classification of the principles by the nature of the relationships
they describe is useful.
2. Your analysis of the principles based on current technical feasibility is
a good reminder.
3. Your suggestion to clarify what is meant by net user is useful.
4. Your suggestion to avoid confusion with "trust" issues in security is
helpful.
5. I take on board also your suggestion to be clear that the trust principle
is not intended to exclude a true generic. If a new gTLD is a "true generic"
and it purports to stand for that and only that, then to my mind it passes
the trust criteria easily.

As background:
These principles should be read together not as either /or criteria. They
are intentionally drawn up from the net user perspective and are intended to
be a starting point. For example, they assume that a gTLD "will" be
perceived by net users to have meaning. They are drawn up based on a sense
of responsibility that we believe is expected by net users of the DNSO.


Based on all the input received I therefore propose an amendment to the
principles.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Criteria for assessing a gTLD registry operator application, subject to
current technical constraints and evolving technical opportunities, should
be based on all the following principles :

Principles affecting the relationship between a gTLD Registry  operator and
those who may register
1. Certainty: a gTLD should give the net user confidence that it stands for
what it purports to stand for.
2. Honesty – a gTLD should not unnecessarily increase opportunities for
malicious or criminal elements who wish to defraud net users.
3. Simplicity - a gTLD should not "impose" an overly bureaucratic procedure
on
a registry.

Principles effecting the relationship between Registries
4. Differentiation – a gTLD should differentiate from all other gTLDs so as
not to confuse net users.
5. Competition – new gTLDs should foster competition in the domain name
space.
6. Diversity - new gTLDs should foster the expression of views, both
commercial and non-commercial.

Principles with query resolution and character encoding implications
7. Semantics – a gTLD should be meaningful in a language with a significant
number of net users.
8. Findability – a gTLD should assist a net user to find a particular domain
name.

Other principles
9. Multiplicity - new gTLDs should become available as needed to meet the
needs of an expanding Internet community.

Note: net user is used in the widest possible sense and refers both to the
web surfer and domain name registrant.

Philip