Sarah,To the 1st part of your question:
Yes, the
SLD names are available for a fee, unlike other numeric
proposals that do not
allow purely numeric names as SLDs at all.
Also, proposals that mix in alpha-characters
with the numbers in
the SLD (allowing purely numeric third-level-names only,
for
example) create a problem because these characters, and thus
the entire
name, are hard to input from a device that only has
numeric keypad input.
Yes,
you can get all the numeric domain names you want under
".com" and others, as
long as they are not alread taken.
One problem with ".com" is that all
the numeric names cost the
same ($6) to registrars. Whereas .one plans
on the $6 cost to
registrars as a maximum. Under consideration is a plan
whereby
quantity purchasors of numeric names, for example, a "block"
of numbers,
would cost less, approaching $1/name. Since numbers
are sequencial, the
ability to buy a block of sequencial numbers,
for low cost, is important.
".com" does not have this ability.
Another difference for ".com" is in
branding, which is no small
issue. If you read our marketing plan, you
would have noted that
".one" will be marketed for all the other devices out there
that
are conected to the Internet, not just for web servers. Another
problem
is that ".com" allows alpha-characters, which add
to itellectual property problems
for that TLD.
The 2nd part of your question is unclear. The entire purpose
of
DNS is to assign a globaly unique name for various devices
connected to
the internet, so we can identity one from the other
via DNS. We believe
a unique number as a domain name will make
things more easy, not more difficult.
1) you get to have the number for as long as you want,
2) you get to pick
the one you want,
3) there is a large number of them compared to IP addresses,
4) they are easier to assign to your divice, compared to
IP addresses, because
the DNS provides a level of indirection
away from IP addresses.
All this so
that you or your friends or others can identify your
device from all those others
out there by your globaly
unique number in ".one". We also believe 3rd
parties will
offer software that allows your device
to have a static numeric
domain, even though your IP address
is dynamically assigned, further easing assigning
a domain
name to your device, which it seems you consider difficult.
As for
the 3rd part of your question, please rest assured
that if you registered a number,
be it your favorite number,
or your phone number, or your fishing license number,
you will be the registrant of that SLD
number in ".one" for as long as you
pay the registration fee,
whether or not your phone number or favorite number
changed.
Note: You are not required to register a different SLD number
in .one
if your phone number, or fishing license number,
or favorite number changes.
There are no other applications "on the table" that provide
all the benifits
that ".one" provides. Please reply with
the name of the TLD that does,
and hopefully, I will have
enough time to compare and contrast .one to the one
you
are advocating (whichever one that it) before this
comment period ends.
Paul
Stahura
Group One Registry