[ga] Capture by a Self-interested Faction

[Danny Younger <dannyyounger@xxxxxxxxx>]

An excerpt from the Reserved Names Working Group 
Draft Report regarding Single and Dual Character
Domains:

3.4	Single letters and numbers  ? second level:  We
recommend that single letters and numbers be released
at the second level in future TLDs, and that those
currently reserved in existing TLDs should be
released.  

Methods for allocating released names were discussed
by the Sub-group.  Three alternative recommendations
are presented: 

[ALT1]:  A registry could propose release of single
letter or number strings through the process for new
registry services, which process involves analysis of
any technical or security concerns and provides
opportunity for public input.  This approach could
also address concerns raised about allocation of
names, reduction of registrar contributions to the
ICANN budget, and capacity building.

[ALT2]:  Currently reserved names may be released
through a framework to be developed, which treats the
release and allocation of single letters in the non
sponsored gTLDs uniformly by allocating them via
auction to parties with demonstrated rights; allocates
funds to benefit ICANN stakeholder interests and
reduce dependency on Registry/Registrar contributions;
provides funds to assist in supporting
capacity-building for applications from developing
countries in some kind of balanced and transparent
manner; and/or provides funds for a Security Institute
focused on root servers, DNSSEC, etc.

[ALT3]: ?Drop and Grab? model putting the names into
the secondary market for auction/sale.  Nobody in the
sub-group supports this ALT.

http://forum.icann.org/lists/gnso-rn-wg/msg00258.html



Danny's comments:

The subgroup that prepared these recommendations
consists solely of the following members:  Neil Blair
(who advocates on behalf of Overstock.com in an effort
to acquire O.com), Mike Roddenbaugh (who seeks to
promote Yahoo's interest in obtaining Y.com and
Y.net), Marilyn Cade (who has Overstock.com as a
client) and Alistair Dixon (who along with all the
aforementioned is also a member of the Business
Constituency).

This is a classic "Capture by a Self-interested
Faction".  

These recommendations should be thrown into the trash,
but at this late stage in the PDP process they will
doubtless be adopted by councilors too burnt out to
read through all the minutia in the latest round of
GNSO Council reports.


 
____________________________________________________________________________________
Don't pick lemons.
See all the new 2007 cars at Yahoo! Autos.
http://autos.yahoo.com/new_cars.html