[wg-e] [owner-wg-e@dnso.org: BOUNCE wg-e@dnso.org: Non-member submission from [Bill Washburn <bill@realnames.com>] Message too long (>40000 chars)]

[Kilnam Chon <chon@cosmos.kaist.ac.kr>]

From: owner-wg-e@dnso.org
To: "Wg-E (E-mail)" <wg-e@dnso.org>,
        "'lkayla@mail.nic.nu'"
	 <lkayla@mail.nic.nu>,
        "'lchua@cdt.org'" <lchua@cdt.org>
Cc: "'tmpeters@digital-bridges.org'" <tmpeters@digital-bridges.org>,
        "'ssteele@digital-bridges.org'" <ssteele@digital-bridges.org>,
        "'lbailyn@markle.org'" <lbailyn@markle.org>,
        "Andrew Mclaughlin (E-mail)"
	 <mclaughlin@pobox.com>
Subject: A Closer Look Critical Reviews of Corporate Websites - WebBusines
	s Magazine Mar
Date: Fri, 24 Mar 2000 08:16:50 -0800

My dear colleagues--
    To any of you received this message in an earlier version, I apologize.
I've learned from a couple of you that my earlier email messages did not go
to everyone.  I believe this article I've attached is an intriguing example
of some of the concern that we face in ICANN generally and in working group
E in particular.  I propose asking a few questions to which I do not know
the answers.  I am asking these questions in the hope that we can push ahead
quickly and help by answering some basic questions for ICANN.  Or, if not
help outright, perhaps we can at least make some good recommendations.  Here
goes:
 
#1 In what languages do you feel the ICANN web site, election ballots, and
other materials should be translated?  Please order your list of languages
in priority.  Also, I will assume that if you list only one language then
you feel that is all ICANN needs to do.  If, on the other hand, you list
five or 10 or 15 languages, then I will take it that you feel that is the
number of languages which ICANN must cover.
 
#2 How do you believe that translation of the web site and other materials
should occur?  If you believe it must be done by a commercial translation
company, please provide any details on a company you know or feel would be
productive.  If youbelieve it can be done fast enough and with sufficient
quality by volunteers, please give specifics about how such a volunteer
system could work over say the next 12 months.  If you believe there are
non-profit or even government organizations that would be the best resources
to utilize, please give details what organizations, what officers, what
locations and so forth you have in mind.  
 
#3 I understand that ICANN feels a legal concern/obligation to ensure that
translations are certifiably correct.  By what means do you suggest this
kind of "verification of accuracy" occur?  Do you have or do you know others
who have experience in this matter?  (On this particular point I am going to
ask a colleague, Francis Gurry at  WIPO if he has any suggestions.)
 
    The reason I am asking these questions is because I believe that Working
Group E can contribute very effectively to the Global Outreach and Awareness
mandate of the DNSO and to the ICANN Membership at Large Implementation Task
Force work by answering or recommending answers, at least.  Also, I believe
this will help us immensely to begin to formulate some estimates of costs to
be shouldered during the next 12 months in the translation of materials, web
site translation, maintenance, and so on.  Of course I am only aiming to
help in the larger effort of our group and I sincerely apologize if I have
made a mistake in missing a question or if I have spoken out of turn.
Thanks you all very much for bearing with me in this long message and I hope
that you can find time to answer these questions.
 
Respectfully, bill washburn
 
Bill Washburn 
Chief Policy Officer 
RealNames Corp. 
bill@realnames.com 
voice: +1 650 298 5520
[snip]