Re: Shared domains

[Michael Dillon <michael@memra.com>]

On Tue, 19 Nov 1996, John R Levine wrote:

> else some of the new iTLDs will become popular, in which case the policies
> and procedures of their monopoly registries will come under scrutiny and
> we'll be right back where we are now.  Only shared registries offer a way
> out of this cycle. 

Another way out of the cycle, and one which I prefer, is for the IAHC to
say that it is not for them or IANA to determine how things *MUST* be run
in the DNS and to allocate new TLD's in such a way that all significant
types of proposal can be tried. This would mean that they would issue
a certain number of monopoly commercial iTLD's, a certain number of shared
commercial iTLD's, a certain number of non-commercial iTLD's and a certain
number of experimental iTLDs (.MARCA and other database ideas).

Then let the people decide which is best.

However, IANA and IAHC do have a responsibility to all Internet users to
ensure as much as possible the smooth operation of the network and the DNS
system during and after the transition to new iTLD's thus some ground
rules must be set and this may involve phased implementations, it may
involve potential registries having to prove their technical capabilities
before being authorized, it may involve registries contracting to release
their iTLD and databases for reassignment if they cannot meet certain
minimum standards.

The IANA and IAHC and any new registries are all acting on behalf of the
public regardless of who charges fees to who. This fact should never be
forgotten. Even a commercial registry with a monopoly over certain iTLD's
is nevertheless performing a public trust and thus they must be subject to
public scrutiny and must undertake binding contracts to uphold the public
trust or lose access to the public resource (iTLD's) that they are
maintaining.

Michael Dillon                   -               ISP & Internet Consulting
Memra Software Inc.              -                  Fax: +1-604-546-3049
http://www.memra.com             -               E-mail: michael@memra.com