frank s. writes:>The reason there is less cybersquating
in the .ca and .au namespaces is because nobody wants to be in those namespaces.<
Sorry,
but this is just plain wrong. First, cybersquatters have registered yahoo.** and
similar in any country which allows it, most all of them with smaller markets than
.ca or .au. Why would they bother if no-one went there. Second, Yahoo and other major
sites do also have functional sites on .ca and .au, sometimes region specific, sometimes
just redirects, but if the country codes weren't used, why would they bother? Third,
sites such as chapters.ca, which is sort of an amazon.com for Canada (except that
the latter is also at amazon.ca), also have .com equivalents but market themselves
using .ca in the Canadian market.
>As for the practise of purchasing more than
one or many thousands of domain names or the "intended use" of domains... that is
not for you or I to judge.<
Where is that written down? Most of us make judgements
every day, some of us even share their rationale for doing so, there's no shortage
of email, websites, usenet posts, doing so right now. Is that wrong? My judgement
on buying domains for speculative purposes is that it's a fine hobby, so long as
it isn't intentional trademark infringement or blatant extortion, ie: cybersquatting.
I doubt that one person in a hundred with that hobby will turn a profit on it. The
hobby shops are probably making absurd profits though. But other than it requiring
those who intend to run functional websites having to get a bit more creative with
their names, no harm no foul.
>The .ca, .au and other restrictive registries worldwide
would be well served to adopt some or all of the policies of their more successful
kin, lest they regulate themselves into further insignificance.<
Well, they're
both opening up now so the hobbyists can add to their collections. Pity they can't
put them on a shelf like a card or a beanie baby but to each their own.