RE: Process forward [RE: [gnso-idng] restarting discussions on IDN gTLD]

["Edmon Chung" <edmon@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

First of all, I sort of agree with Bertrand (GAC) when he said, perhaps it
is not so much about "fast" track, but just "track differentiation".  The
point is, what would be useful may be to have a focused discussion on IDN
gTLDs in parallel with other discussions with new gTLDs in general, i.e. to
discuss them in separate tracks such that each track would not hold back the
other.

Based on that, and the question of getting "beyond the criticisms that are
being used to stall gTLDs in general", I therefore sort of proposed a dual
track approach for IDN gTLDs earlier in the thread:
        
1. IDNG Track A: IDN gTLDs operated as completely new gTLDs
- The new IDN gTLD will accept registrations completely separate from any
existing gTLD
- This track would need to address the overarching issues
- Focused discussion on IDN may (or may not) make resolving the issues more
effective
- Result of the discussion may (or may not) merge the process back with the
full new gTLD process (or "track")

2. IDNG Track B: IDN gTLDs operated in accordance with existing gTLDs
- Only for existing gTLDs, but can be objected to by prospective IDN gTLD
applicant
- Existing gTLD registry must serve the same zonefile under the IDN gTLD
(even though the IDN TLD itself would be a separate NS delegation at the
root) OR offer registration only to the same registrant OR implement other
registration policies to achieve the same 
- Where objection is received and not resolved, then the application should
move to Track A above (that is the part where I proposed the "confusingly
similar" test)


Both IDN Track A and Track B can proceed together and in fact can continue
to exist.  Track B can essentially be an ongoing process, even for future
new gTLDs.

On the topic of limitation on number of script/language, first of all, the
IDN ccTLD Fast Track did not set a numerical limit, but rather, it is based
on the number of official languages ("official language" in its general
sense) in the cc locality.  For gTLDs, the issue would be tricky if a
numerical limit is set and could raise technical, fairness as well as
political issues.  Take ".Asia" for example, it would not be appropriate to
pick Chinese over Japanese or Korean, or Hindi or Arabic for that matter.
In the case of Chinese and Japanese (Kanji) (and Korean Hanja if included),
the issue further complicates because of the overlap in script/character
usage, which could become a fairness issue, as whichever is launched first
could take away names available for the latter.  This is also a reason I
think perhaps we should distinguish this discussion from "fast" track, but
rather look at this IDN Track B as an ongoing track for even future new
gTLDs.

Initially, perhaps limiting to non-latin scripts could work.  Limitation to
1 per language per script may be ok too, which I believe is similar to the
approach taken by the IDN ccTLD Fast Track.

The EOI seems quite separate to this discussion I think.

Edmon


PS. It seems we are gaining some momentum with this discussion.  Perhaps we
should schedule a few conference calls to further hash out possible ways
forward.  Will start a separate thread on this.




> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-gnso-idng@xxxxxxxxx [mailto:owner-gnso-idng@xxxxxxxxx] On
> Behalf Of Eric Brunner-Williams
> Sent: Sunday, November 22, 2009 12:23 AM
> To: Avri Doria
> Cc: gnso-idng@xxxxxxxxx
> Subject: Re: Process forward [RE: [gnso-idng] restarting discussions on
IDN
> gTLD]
> 
> 
> 
> > ... what gets the gTLD fast track beyond the
> > criticisms that are being used to stall gTLDs in general.
> 
> 
> Good question.
> 
> 
> > Other questions (perhaps subquestions of the question above):
> 
> - would it be for non-Latin scripts only?
> 
> > - would it be for IDN gTLDs only
> > - would it be only for existing gTLD registries
> 
> - would each existing gTLD registry would be allowed to apply for one
> "similar" name
> - what changes to the existing registry contracts are necessary
> 
> That, and the item I added above, would make it most similar to the
> ccTLD IDN FastTrack.
> 
> I make that one museum in a non-Latin script, one cat in a non-Latin
> script, one aero in a non-Latin script, one ... , and one com in a
> non-Latin script.
> 
> For those counting, that's ~40 change requests to the IANA root
> arising out of the ccTLD IDN FT process, and ~20 arising from a gTLD
> IDN FT process, if "this" can be called a "gTLD IDN FT", or about
> 2/3rds of the budget Thomas Narten suggested was annually available.
> 
> > - would applicants have to accept the most stringent of the restrictions
> > being proposed by for new gTLDs (full IRT, no Geo related name of any
> > sort, no word that anyone on earth considers controversial, nothing that
> > has the same meaning or etymology as any exsiting TLD ...)
> 
> Do we care? Those that get hung up by objections simply survive the
> objection process or fail. Those to which no objections are offered
> progress. If a "gTLD IDN FT" is like (see above) the ccTLD IDN FT in
> the script, number, and equivalence restrictions, most of these
> restrictions have already been addressed.
> 
> 
> > How would this fasttrack combine with the EoI proposed process?
> 
> I'm aware of a Board initiated EOI request for comments, but not a
> proposed process.
> 
> I'm aware "there is a group of participants that engage in ICANN's
> processes to a greater extent than Internet users generally", who have
> agreed to attempt to restrict competition through presenting a
> resolution to the Board proposing a "EoI process".
> 
> 
> I suggest that we ignore the latter, for several reasons, and identify
> a gTLD IDN FT profile as a response to the former, as well as a more
> general gTLD IDN, and the even more general TLD IDN profile, to inform
> the Board.
> 
> 
> > I am not against this, but I am not sure I see how it would help.
> 
> 
> I've a long note which I'll submit as a critical comment on the
> Board's EOI question to the community. In a nutshell, I don't think
> the EOI motion helped clarify issues. I'm even more skeptical about
> the purpose of a private party "proposed EOI process".
> 
> 
> I think the next question isn't so much what about the EOI, its what
> about the restrictions imposed on the ccTLD IDN FT.
>   - non-Latin
>   - one each (or two for CDNC territories)
>   - limited "creep" from the iso3166 alpha-two value into alpha-three
> or other standardized names (for which we have no equivalent
> convenient standards to point to)
>   - what changes to the existing registry contracts are necessary
> 
> In addition, there is the problem of expanding the number of entities
> holding a distinct IDN delegation in their own right, under a new
> contract.
> 
> Are non-Latin scripts to be prioritized? That has been the basis for
> the ccTLD IDN FT, and for what I suggest above for a gTLD IDN FT.
> 
> Are unserved populations to be prioritized? That is the foundation
> that the non-Latin requirement is based upon.
> 
> I think we can help by suggesting not simply numbers to some EOI
> effort, but specific groups of applications with specific answers to
> "the criticisms that are being used to stall gTLDs in general".
> 
> 
> Eric