Evaluation Procedures must include Market Differentiation

["Ron Andruff" <randruff@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

ICANN describes itself as "a public benefit, non-profit entity, [and] the
international organization responsible for the management and oversight of
the coordination of the Internet domain name system and its unique
identifiers." http://www.icann.org/en/factsheets/fact-sheet.html 

 

Unique identifiers is the corollary of market differentiation, and vice
versa.

 

ICANN's fundamental responsibilities include the coordination of unique
identifiers with a recognition of the single authoritative root as a 'shared
space'. 

 

Without differentiation there is also a high risk that defensive
registrations will become the norm, rather than achieving the communities'
long-standing goal of ending the practice that forces involuntary defensive
registrations in multiple domain name spaces.

 

The Domain Name System must stand at the opposite end of the spectrum from
the automobile or other product markets where consumers expect to see
multiple brands competing with virtually the same products.  Such a market
approach for the Internet DNS would be the equivalent of having multiple
roots rather than a single authoritative one.

 

The Internet is a unique, shared resource for global use and the DNS must be
managed according to its special nature.  

 

The GNSO Final Report of the Introduction of New gTLDs calls on ICANN to
".facilitate the introduction of new gTLDs in an orderly way. as well as
introducing new gTLDs to include market differentiation."  The community can
be confident that market differentiation will lead to an orderly
introduction of gTLDs.  Therefore we trust ICANN will include appropriate
language to address this serious omission in the next iteration of the
Applicant Guidebook.  

 

Respectfully,

 

Ron Andruff

RNA Partners, Inc.

 

Disclosure: RNA Partners intends to be an applicant for a new gTLD.