In my opinion, ICANN needs to seriously rethink changing .orgs status and do it fast.
I have always in general supported ICANN but this decision, a very bad one in my
opinion, couldn't have come at a worst time for ICANN. .Com, .Net and .Org
have always been sold as general extensions - to be used as one wishes. To change
this would be incredibly unfair to those who have invested in the .orgs. It is not
hard to imagine that maybe .nets status would be changed at some time in the future
to only be used by isps and networks. I agree that these uses can make sense but
it should have been done like this from the beginning. It was not. They were marketed
and registered as general extensions. It is now too late. ICANN should consider a
new tld for a non profit purpose during the next round of choosing new gltds.
I
believe if ICANN doesn't address these concerns and do it fast, they could end up
with a full scale revolt on their hands. This topic has enraged far, far more people
than those who were angry over the new tlds. The talk around is very, very intense.
This has serious revolutionary potential. If people thought the hearings about the
new gtlds were critical of ICANN, this could go way, way beyond that. Like I've said
before, unlike many here, I support ICANN in general. But with this decision, there
may not be an ICANN in the present form left to support once people really start
to protest and it gets to congress.
My advice to ICANN - leave the tlds alone
before it's too late. You can always create very specific ones for whatever purpose
you have in mind. If you can do .museums, you can do .npo.
.Com = .commerce (business)
.Net
= .networks (a group of entities)
.Org = .Organizations (a group or business)
These
are general tlds.
Sincerely and with respect,
Tom