RE: [registrars] wls and domain expiraion dates (9/11)

[Paul Stahura <stahura@xxxxxxxx>]

Even if the registry published the data, only the registrar of record 
knows that the registrant did not renew.  No matter what the registry
publishes,
the registrar-of-record knows this information *first*, and therefore can
offer the WLS at lower risk (or at a zero price) first.  That is why
condition "C" exists.
Condition "C" must change because it allows the registrar-of-record to
disclose
the information to another registrar and *that* registrar is allowed to
purchase the WLS
during the black-out period.  That is why the blackout period must cover all
registrars,
not just the registrar-of-record.  Another reason why condition c must
change is that the 
blackout period needs to be known before the name deletes and not depend on
a future event
such as the name actually deleting, which is the point Verisign brought
up in their request for reconsideration. The only question remaining is when
and how long should the
blackout period be?  I wrote a paper on it, which is at
http://www.icannwatch.org/essays/icann-wls3c.doc 
If the blackout period does not cover a period before a name expires until
the name
is available again for registration, 
(say the blackout period ends short of availability, which is not what I
advocated in my paper) 
then it probably should be combined with information disclosure by the
registry at a time before 
the blackout period ends, but if that is the case it introduces other
problems such as registry EPP (WLS uses EPP) loading.
But that may be acceptable to all parties because a period that ends 
before name-availability would probably not diminish WLS sales.

I would like to meet with Paul Twomey or his designee (Dan?) and anyone else
who is interested,
to discuss the "tailoring" of condition c
that the ICANN board has authorized the ICANN staff to undertake.
I believe we can reach a compromise to insure fairness among registrars and
that WLS supporters can live with.  
I would like to work with ICANN (not happening at the moment) 
and companies on both sides of the issue (is happening) to reach agreement
on condition "c".

It is a complicated issue, and that for me at least, requires much thought,
and certain changes, I am certain,
will lead to unintended negative consequences such as the registry's
whois system being loaded as you point out below or unfairness among
registrars as I point out, and/or other negatives.
As it stands now, "c" maximizes 2 negatives: 1) registrar unfairness and 2)
registry whois pounding
If anyone would like to discuss it more, please send me an email or call.

Paul

-----Original Message-----
From: Rick Wesson [mailto:wessorh@xxxxxx] 
Sent: Wednesday, August 06, 2003 11:23 PM
To: Registrars List
Cc: halloran@xxxxxxxxx; twomey@xxxxxxxxx
Subject: [registrars] wls and domain expiraion dates (9/11)



While pondering marketing WLS, I realized that for a perfect market in WLS
to arise registrars will need to know the expiration date for all domains
with a potential to be deleted durring the WLS test.

Will the registry be making available a list of all domains deleting in
the next 12 months and their expiration date? If this information is not
available the registrars with many domains (network solutions, tucows,
register.com, melborne it) deleting in that period will have an advantage
over registrars with smaller portfolios. Thus the big players will have an
advantage of pre-knowlege on which domains to market WLS subscriptions
for.

For a complete and fair market to develop all domains and their expiration
dates should be made available at least 30 days before the launch so that
there is enough time to market the WLS subscriptions, for those domains
with a likely hood of expiration in the 12 month period, and other domains
that will be deleted before their expiration date.

Understand that the precedent of a current list of domain pending delete
ensures a fair and level market in deleted domains. logic would follow
that a list current of domains in .com and .net and their expiration date
will be required by registrars marketing WLS.

If this information is not desiminated there could be an increased load in
the registry whois servers as registrar, resellers and speculators mine
the registry whois to obtain the information thus creating an advantage
for those that violate agreements against automated whois queries.

I am not sure that the registry has the authority to desiminate the
information of a registrars domains currently under management and their
respective expiration date as some public companies guard this
information. It is my belief that it should be ICANN that publishes this
data as to remove any liability from the registry.

To prevent whois data mining, unfair and ineffective markets in WLS,
please consider this a formal request for ICANN to publish a list of all
domains in .com and .net and their associated expiration date, to be
published before Sept 11 2003, so that registrars may effectively market
WLS subscriptions in a fair and competitive market.


best,

Rick Wesson
CEO, Alice's Registry, Inc.