Re: [wg-c] Our mission

[Milton Mueller <mueller@syr.edu>]

This is a disappointing follow-on.

Philip Sheppard wrote:

> The rallying call of 6-10 names of which Milton has reminded us is a little
> overstated

When you spoke in your last message of "a system whereby the applicant registry
proposes a gTLD and explains what they envisage for that gTLD" what did you
mean, if not that organizations can apply for a specific number of new TLD
authorizations? What is so scary about calling for applications for 10 new TLDs
in this way?

6-10 is a trivial number. We added more than 30 new TLDs to the root in 1997 --
did anyone notice? You have to start somewhere.

> (and from a surprising source considering Milton's greater vision
> of hundreds of names).

This simply shows that some of us are willing to make major compromises to
accommodate your constituency's concerns. How about some reciprocity?

> The interim reports states "the working group had
> reached rough (although by no means unanimous) consensus" by which it refers
> to 19 for and 7 against.

No. Perhaps you were not around but when the original consensus was challenged
by Mike Heltzer of INTA we held a formal vote and the result was something like
45 to 20. There's no question that there is a 2/3 majority or more in favor of
6-10.  The only question is whether certain constituencies will respect that
consensus.

> The choice of a specific number of gTLDs is laced with a set of assumptions
> (and implied future exclusions) about the future DNS which the interim
> report did not satisfactorily explore most notably the consequences of
> failure of the test - "Sorry guys here's your money back we are withdrawing
> all these 6 from the DNS".

The absence of a choice of a specific number of new TLDs is laced with an even
stronger assumption about the future of DNS, namely that there shall be none.

> How many is the wrong question for this group and it is regrettably that it
> was in the groups overly-ambitious terms of reference.

Philip, one cannot add new TLDs without specifying how many, unless one
believes, like me and many others, that there should be no limit at all. Have
you joined our camp? If not, be honest with us and tell us how many you expect
to authorize.

--MM