[registrars] More information on the GNSO WHOIS working group

["Bruce Tonkin" <Bruce.Tonkin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Note: Philip Sheppard from the Business Constituency has been elected
chair of this working group

________________________________

From: owner-gnso-whois-wg@xxxxxxxxx
[mailto:owner-gnso-whois-wg@xxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Philip Sheppard
Sent: Thursday, 26 April 2007 1:12 AM
To: gnso-whois-wg@xxxxxxxxx
Subject: [gnso-whois-wg] WHOIS WG - A message from the chairman


Dear WHOIS working group members,
Further to yesterday's (April 25) telephone conference may I thank you
firstly for the confidence you have showed in elevating me from interim
chair to chair of the working group (WG).
I hope to serve as a facilitator and moderator. (The views of the GNSO
Business Constituency will be advocated by others on the group).
 
I am delighted also that Jon Bing, a nominating committee appointee to
the GNSO Council, will serve as vice chairman.
Jon brings a wealth of legal expertise and Nordic good sense.
 
A vision
As a group we have the challenge to bring about change that will
simultaneously:
- enhance privacy
- enhance the ability to prevent bad faith
- enhance simplicity
- be cost effective.
 
If we fail, the status quo of the WHOIS service will be the result.
  
Conduct on telephone conferences and mail lists
As we are a large group telephone conferences will need to be sharp,
focused and practical.
Both our conferences and our group mail list should be reserved for
policy discussion not procedure or administration.
If you do have any questions on procedure or administration please try
to resolve them in the first instance  via direct e-mail with ICANN
staff - Maria Farrell (procedure) or Glen de St Gery(administration) 
maria.farrell@xxxxxxxxx <mailto:maria.farrell@xxxxxxxxx> 
gnso.secretariat@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx <mailto:gnso.secretariat@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>

 
Next steps
Allow me to explain our plan of action going forward.
 
a) A background document will be issued shortly to help all group
participants have access to relevant history and other references.
The document, prepared by staff, is intended to be factual, not a
discussion paper !
 
b) The charter for this group lays out three work items in section 4.
We have established three sub-groups to work over the next three weeks
on each of these work items.
The sub groups are open to all and will meet on Wednesdays sequentially.
The exact time slots will be advised by ICANN staff.
We are a large group (60 plus and growing) so the time windows proposed
by staff will be the best for the groups bearing in mind the diversity
of time zones.
Please be understanding if for you this means a less than friendly time
of day.
You may join each sub-group or select the one of most interest.
 
Role of the subgroups
Each sub-group is being chaired by a volunteer chairman
Sub-group a - responsibilities -  Steve Metalitz
Sub-group b - access - Milton Mueller
Sub-group c - nature of the registrant - Jon Bing.
 
My thanks to these volunteers. Their objective will be to list but not
evaluate practical options for each work item.
We will then take those options forward, consider them holistically, and
evaluate the options starting, I hope, May 23, as the full working
group.
Staff will now advise the meeting times for the sub groups shortly.
 
 
Many thanks
Philip Sheppard
Chair WHOIS WG