RE: [registrars] FYI re: Transfers

["Richard Lau" <richard@xxxxxxx>]

Ross Rader wrote:
"Inappropriate is ripping off registrants to line your own pocket."

Isn't the "internal transfer fulfilment" (or whatever one wants to call it)
just that? The ICANN policy (as JB just pointed out) was quite clear in its
intention that if a domain isn't renewed by a registrant, then the domain is
to be deleted. 

The RGP period has also been contracted around. Many registrars have their
registrants agree that the domain can be transferred immediately upon
expiration with no "emulated" RGP (while others actually offer a longer fake
RGP of more than 30 days).

Many registrars already word the renewals as something like "We may, at our
sole option, provide you with the opportunity to renew the domain
post-expiry". So, if registrars remove the "right" for registrants to be
able to renew their domains after expiration, and combine it with the
agreement that the registrar can change the listed Registered Name Holder
upon expiration, then the transfer out post-expiration becomes a moot point.

I'm not in any way saying this is the right thing to do. I've just spent a
little too much time recently actually reading the various Domain
Registration Agreements that various registrars have in place. Forget Cujo -
if you want scary reading, sit down and watch the rights of registrants
being stripped away.

Me, imho, I'd prefer to go back to having all domains drop at the Registry
level, and Registrants being able to transfer out post-expiration. But the
policies in place, combined with the never-ending ability to contract around
the such policies, leaves me little choice but to face the reality that
while policies may be changed to clarify ICANN's intention, it will just be
offset by changes to Registration Agreements, and we'll see all Registered
Name Holder info being changed on Expiration to something like:
"Expired [Registrar-name] Domains Inc." with the Former Registrant being
listed as a note somewhere in the postal address, if that.