Re: Conflict resolution?

[Alexandre Khalil <iskandar@EESUN2.tamu.edu>]

On Tue, 19 Nov 1996, Christopher Ambler wrote:

>> _ALL_ top level domains _MUST_ be shared

>I must disagree in the strongest possible terms. Our business plan, at the
>least, is based on the commercial viability of the .WEB property, for which
>IANA accepted an application pending completion of procedure. While we may
>argue the technical legalities of promises made, the bottom line is that
>mandating all TLDs to be shared is unfair for two very good reasons:

>1. NSI retains exclusive use of .COM, .NET and .ORG through 1998, and even
...

>2. IANA has accepted applications for TLDs, and has stated publically that
>  prior use should be a deciding factor,...

>I believe that sharing an iTLD should be OPTIONAL, and not mandated for,
>at least, these two reasons.

  These are good reasons as far as your business is concerned. 

  The only firm commitment -actually a contract- currently in place is
NSI's monopoly until 98.  The rest, e.g. "prior use will be a deciding
factor" is very soft and is open to a wide range of interpretations.

  From the point of view of outsiders who do not own shares in your
business, monopolies might be detrimental be they current or future. 

  To convince others, you will have to argue that it is in their interest
to preserve NSI's monopoly and/or to put in place new ones, such as
yours.

alex