Why not charge a small fee for short registrations?

[Scott Vallance <scottvallance@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Domain tasting is almost never used by those who legitimately want to 
host content on the web. ICANNs function is to regulate the domain name 
market, allowing for a fair provisioning of domain names. This fair 
provisioning ensures that clients respect the top level domain server 
system instead of using their own domain name systems and fragmenting 
the internet.
Free registration in the guise of domain tasting entirely defeats the 
purpose of ICANN. If there is no cost to registrants there is no reason 
for registrants to choose names carefully and purposefully. The space of 
domain names is then at the mercy of whoever abuses domain tasting the most.
The idea that domain tasting is a service to the community is laughable. 
The administration costs of these free domains are borne by legitimate 
users, none of whom benefit from the tasting. Indeed the tasting is 
likely to be used to extort unreasonable sums from them for domains they 
desire. If its desirable to allocate domains to registrants for short 
periods of time then the registrant should pay for it.
Domain tasting is entirely contrary to ICANN's purpose. I urge ICANN to 
reconsider allowing free registration of any kind, lest the majority of 
the community see it in their interest to establish an alternative 
domain name structure.
Scott Vallance.