Re: Conflict resolution?

[Vince Wolodkin <wolodkin@digitalink.com>]

Michael Dillon wrote:
> 
> On Mon, 18 Nov 1996, Tony Rutkowski wrote:
> 
> > Has anyone thought to ask in any kind of quantitative way what
> > the reaction of businesses and public are to the proliferation of
> > additional iTLDs versus keeping things simple?  Isn't this a
> > significant public interest consideration?
> 
> We know that the general public usually supports choice and opposes
> mandates issued from above.
> 

I don't want to start any religious wars over this, but, we know the
following so far.  A committee has been formed based on the premise from
IANA that the Internet needs more TLD's to break up the NSI monopoly and
to resolve the trademark issues as everyone wants their mark under .com.

I don't think it would hurt to try and quantify how the business
world(those most likely to confront trademark issues) feels about new
iTLDs.  You may find that, in terms of trademarks, new TLD's will
provide no relief because anyone with a name registered under .com has
likely trademarked it(or soon will), and if you try and use it under any
other iTLD you may dilute their trademark(unless the iTLD is somehow
product/category specific).  In other words, it may be too late for new
iTLDs to solve the trademark issue.  

The NSI monopoly issue can be addressed without the addition of new
iTLDs.  As for the general public, I don't really believe they care one
way or another under what name they find their favorite websites.  In
the end its all just bookmarks and search engines anyway.

I thought the IAHC was going to consider that new iTLD's may not be the
answer, but the charter seems to indicate otherwise, already assuming
applications and assignments of new iTLDs.  Which is it?

Vince Wolodkin