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Username: awerhane
Date/Time: Thu, November 16, 2000 at 12:52 AM GMT
Browser: Netscape Communicator V4.7 using Windows 98
Score: 5
Subject: Support for .co-op and Answers to questions

Message:
 

 
a) There are several proposed TLDs longer than 3 letters.

b) Three letters is nice, but not essential to a functioning internet.  To deny a new TLD simply for this reason is arbitrary.

c) There are only so many viable three-letter combinations using the Roman alphabet, and none of them appropriately represent the Cooperative Movement.

d) Cooperative members and customers are quite used to reading and typing out the word "co-op" with a hyphen. I've never seen a co-op promote itself as "Generictown Grocery Coop" or "Rural Electric Coop".

e) If accepted, .co-op would be the first TLD to use a hyphen.  I think most of the distaste expressed to date about the hyphen have been a fear of something new.  Yet, plenty of website addresses use hyphens.  It's just not that frightening.

f) Still, if substantial research can be found to back up the position that the hyphen is a barrier to access, we can get used to typing ".coop".

g) See the hundreds of comments from the initial round to learn more about why cooperatives are not properly represented by either ".com" or ".org".  The Cooperative Movement is global, cross-sectoral, and includes businesses and services owned by either consumers, workers or
producers.  A worker or producer co-op is almost never eligible for non-profit status, while consumer co-ops distinguish themselves from  .coms by holding themselves responsible to the customer, not the stockholder/sole proprietor/partner.

h) Again, I heartily register my support for .co-op as a TLD.

Amanda Werhane
Member, Recreational Equipment Incorporated (REI)
Member, Cooperative Center Federal Credit Union
Former Board member, North American Students of Cooperation
Former President, Madison Community Cooperative
Former Member-owner, Lothlorien Housing Co-op, Emma Goldman Housing Co-op, and Fruitvale Housing Co-op
Former Staff, University of Wisconsin Center for Cooperatives
     
     

 


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