RE: [gnso-dow123] National variation among Registrars = fair competition and consumer choice

["Milton Mueller" <Mueller@xxxxxxx>]

Tim:
So let's see, I expose logical flaws in your refusal to permit VERY
controlled, case-by-case exceptions to the RAA to permit the 3/4 of the
world that does not reside in North American to be able to compete, and
then you equate this with throwing out the RAA altogether and a return
to the  NSI monopoly. 

Hmmm. I don't think that's an accurate characterization of what I'm
saying. 

Let's try again.

First, we don't have to chooose between a RAA with an exceptions
process and no RAA at all. The policy we came up with did a very good
job of making exceptions possible without making them easy or
susceptible to abuse. And frankly, as important as I think privacy is, I
doubt that more than 5% of the market would change registrars based on
that. 

Second, I'd really like to know what you would say to a German company
that can't participate in the registrar business at all because the
RAA's whois requirements violate their local laws. C'mon Tim, give it a
try. Let's hear some rational justification for shutting them out of the
business. Let he see you explain how it promotes fair competition and a
level playing field. I'm looking forward to the verbal gymnastics. 

Third, regarding ccTLDs, it's quite amusing to see you use them as the
justification, the escape valve, the loophole for ICANN's policies.
Sure, if folks continue to constrain choice and abuse consumers in
gTLDs, many consumers will move to ccTLDs. The problem is that many
consumers CAN'T choose ccTLDs with good policies because many have
national residency policies. And my own ccTLD, .us, is under the thumb
of the privacy-inimical US Dept of Commerce. Anyway  ccTLDs are
irrelevant to us, this is the GNSO and the G stands for gTLDs. ccTLDs
are not under our jurisdiction. 

--MM

>>> Tim Ruiz <tim@xxxxxxxxxxx> 3/13/2005 5:48:57 PM >>>
So then, why have ICANN accreditation or an RAA at all? Or perhaps
that's you goal? Was it better when COM/NET/ORG were controlled by a
single monopoly? Has nothing improved? And what about the growing ccTLD
registrar opportunities you seem to want to ignore? Don't they provide
choice?