http://www.afternic.com/index.cfma=th&fid=46&tid=19010&mid=23295#23295I understand
that this is a Bloomberg article
(I can't find the original source - however the
article was posted by jtrade on afternic.com)
A few interesting excerpts:
Internet
Oversight Group Plans to Expand Web Address System
Marina del Rey, California,
Nov. 12 (Bloomberg) -- The global Internet oversight group is ready to expand the
Web address system this week, ending the dominance of VeriSign Inc. while prompting
charges of impropriety and hypocrisy.
[VeriSign owns Network Solutions]
[snip]
The
group wants to add one-word, easy-to- remember Web addresses and create more competition
in the business of maintaining databases that make the Internet work.
Its process
has Internet users crying foul, saying the group is pandering to large corporations
and abandoning principles it outlined to decide.
Staff narrowed a list of several
dozen proposed suffixes to about 14
favorable bids
[snip]
Tensions could intensify
as Icann convenes its annual meeting in Marina del Rey, California, tomorrow. It
expects more than 800 attendees, most with strong opinions about the various new
domains.
[snip]
Icann has declined to specify
how many new address domains
it will adopt, saying only it plans to accept a limited number. Likely candidates
include .web, .biz, .ecom or .info for general topics; .nom, .per, or .i for personal
home pages; and .health, .museum or .union for specific content.
Consensus Decisions
The board, with 19 members operating by consensus, will act Thursday on the issue
and is free to ignore the staff recommendations.
[VERY IMPORTANT ! ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^]
The
new domains likely will become operational in the second quarter next year, Icann
staff told reporters on a conference call Friday.
[I hope that .web can become
operational even before the second
quarter next year - this is possible with IOD's
.web registry
but it is NOT possible with Afilias, that does NOT have a registry
at
this time and wants to implement a long Sunrise Period]
[snip]
Hundreds of comments
posted on Icann's Web forum and press releases from applicants have objected to the
direction being taken by Icann.
Closely held Image Online Design Inc. in San Luis
Obispo, California, is one such commentator. It is competing against a consortium
of 19 companies, including VeriSign, known as Afilias LLC to gain control of the
.web domain.
Image Online runs a .web domain outside the main Internet server,
and has registered about 20,000 sites. The company failed to win positive feedback
from Icann staff, unlike Afilias. Some Web comments say backing Afilias's bid would
boost VeriSign's power and hurt competition.
``ICANN's report seriously misrepresents
the technical and financial merits of IOD's application,'' said Chief Technology
Officer Christopher Ambler.
The report ``includes misinformed criticism as well
as several outright errors.''
[snip]
Fabrizio Coppola
Italy