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Username: cyber-cynic
Date/Time: Mon, November 13, 2000 at 12:11 AM GMT
Browser: Microsoft Internet Explorer V5.0 using Windows 98
Score: 5
Subject: To all the little minded people - guess that's just about everybody.

Message:
 

 
I have to say this public forum is something of a joke because it is not functioning as a true forum for the expression of public opinion. Not only do you have 99% centred on .web with little or no discussion on other TLD's, you also have predominantly distorted views, with very few well balanced and objective posts. I have seen a few good posts, but guess what? there are no responses or further discussions, and why? as I said before - distorted views.

First off you've got applicants inundating the forum (mainly IOD) with their perspective trying to stifle free expression and quell any rising contrary opinion. I do not believe this board is appropriate for IOD. They have made their application, which they insist will stand on it's own merits - so let it! If the application is so good, then why are they so insecure that they feel the need to try to dominate this board with all their claims and counter claims against ICANN.

This is not the proper channel for IOD to respond to ICANN's evaluation of their application. It would be more appropriate for IOD to contact ICANN directly and if IOD is not satisfied with ICANN's handling of their application, then there are other avenues of redress that can be sought, one which is a road IOD has travelled many times before... the legal system (albeit with limited success).

IOD's behaviour is hardly professional and tantamount to "citing cyber revolt" in relation to this forum - and to this entity we should entrust a registry?

Then there are all you little .webbians who have heeded IOD's call to the fray, but who can't see past your own personal greed in wanting to keep your precious little pre-registered .webs. Every one of you is so caught up in the hype of your own little .web world, that you have all failed to, or more than likely lacks the ability to, stop and think about the bigger picture.

The internet is bigger than all us, but more importantly, it is there for all of us. It is our tomorrow and the way of the future. That means it also has to be there for our children and our children's children and we have to preserve a share in it for them. And how do we do that? - .web is not the answer.

It is becoming much more apparent that allowing a .web registry as a possible solution under present conditions is a fallacy. It will solve nothing until the inherent problems in the current registration practices is fixed. Problems is, nobody has the balls to fix it - it is not that hard, but the personal greed of the few is destroying the potential good, of the internet, for the many.

There are those who cry "no government involvement"; "first come first served"; "total freedom of registration"; "no controls" - well you've had it and it is clear it is not working and largely through vanity and greed of registrants and registry/registrars alike.

Examples :

- NSI rewards hoarders.
Order 100+ domain names with the same registration information in one simple transaction and save over 50%.

- NSI even facilitates the aftermarket.
http://webdomain.networksolutions.com/buyers.cfm

- ICANN : Just what kind of example is this for the rest of us?
http://www.icann.com
http://www.icann.net
http://www.icann.org

Don't give me this bull about free enterprise. This internet is a valuable resource that should be shared and preserved. It has evolved into something that it was not intended to be, and this should not be tolerated. If present authorities (tongue in cheek) cannot address the situation, then I am all for purists taking back the web. Having a web address should be a privilege and not one that should not be abused.


There are some registry models that work very well and where there is no crises through lack of names - and what are they? : .edu .gov .int .mil - and why do they work, because they address a specific target audience and you have to qualify for registration, hence there is no abuse, and the resource is shared in a fair and equitable manner, as it was intended.

The .com .net and .org TLD's model at the outset was conceptually a good idea. The only mistake the originators made was they believed the internet community would act responsibly - well we all know where that thought got them, or us rather.

I am not one for burdening the consumer with conditions and rules, but it is clear that without any rules or conditions, the internet community is not able to or prepared to share a resource that was intended for all. If on the other hand, the TLD's were used as foreseen and intended, that alone would go a long way to relieve the present shortage of names.

So introducing .web does not help because it has the same model, and will only serve to magnify the problem. If anybody is too shortsighted to see that, the are not a worthy Net Citizen. And as for ICANN it is time to grow some balls and fix things - your hands off approach might suit you "personally", but it does the community a disservice and if you continue to let this valuable resource be soaked up by hoarders and the like, people will ultimately get fed up with the internet as we know it (a'la ICANN) and come up with an alternative and kiss ICANN good bye. (Necessity is the mother of invention.)

That being said, further TLD's are desirable, but they should be targeted and registrants should have relevance otherwise we have not learned from our mistakes. Introducing further unrestricted domains without conditions is irresponsible and creates a problem which will be very hard if not impossible to fix in the future.

As a suggestion, you (ICANN) should start with .org and let this resource be used by those for whom it was intended; and as I am one never to criticise without offering a solution, if you do not have the expertise or manpower to resolve this, I am both capable and available to advise you, but not here and not now.

Back to you .webbians - I'm not quite done with you yet.
Ever hear the expression "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread" - well I have never seen so many (fools) try to give so much (support) to someone (IOD) who has given them so little and let them down so badly - must be blind faith.

Over the last week I have read much on ICANN in all it's previous forms which leads me to believe ICANN has an agenda of it's own and pays little heed to anyone's advise, be it good or bad. Over the years it has enjoyed tremendous support from the internet community at large and volunteers who really believe in the internet and what it should stand for, and consistently it has left them all in it's "dust" - disappointed and sometimes bitter. And yet, being the purists they are, if asked by ICANN tomorrow, I am sure they would be prepared to help what appears to be an undeserving ICANN.

The IOD application failed first scrutiny but was passed to the next round because of you rowdy lot on this board. Now either ICANN is listening to you (didn’t I just say they don't listen to anybody) or it is a very clever ploy on the part of ICANN to appease the "partial public" (pun intended) - so don't hold your breath.

IOD was in a position where they could have made a difference to the overall landscape of new TLD's but one has to question the foresight of the company to now be in the situation they are in. Their main service was to take pre-registrations when they really could have done so much more - ye poor fools of blind faith that follow. Shame on you IOD for not taking bolder steps steps and being a REAL pioneer. Double shame on you IOD for still not having learnt to see ICANN for what it is...

For the most part I am happy to have an open minded debate with just about anybody, but I certainly would not bother wasting my time with most of you .webbians in this forum, not until you acquire the ability to open your little minds anyway.

 


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