Re: Shared vs. Exclusive

[Hank Nussbacher <hank@ibm.net.il>]

On Thu, 21 Nov 1996, Kent Crispin wrote:

> David R. Conrad allegedly said:
> > 
> > Hank,
> > 
> > >a) The Shared Top Level Domain Working at Higgs is about a year away from
> > >completing its draft RFC, having it accepted as an RFC and having
> > >all the software up and running to have an operationalshared TLD.  
> > 
> > The existance of an RFC describing the operation of a shared TLD is a
> > prerequisite or is a "would be nice to have"?
> > 
> > >In
> > >order to eliminate "exclusive' TLDs, Higgs and crew have to complete
> > >their work.  In the interim, we need exclusive TLDs.
> > 
> > If prerequisite, what would you think of an copyright/patent like
> > exclusive period limitation of say 1 year to 18 months?
> 
> I have noted this in a couple of previous posts, but perhaps I will 
> mention it again -- it is *not true* that all the mechanisms for 
> operating shared TLD registries have to be in place before licenses 
> for shared TLDs can be awarded.  Single licenses for shared TLDs can be 
> awarded immediately after the details of the licensing agreement are 
> worked out.  This gives those registries who are granted such a 
> license a defacto grace period of exclusive use until suitable 
> protocols can wend their way through the IETF RFC process, but 
> establishes the TLDs as shared from the very start.

Would you want to sign in on a shared TLD knowing that the license
agreement was unknown?  You are basically signing a blank check.
I know of very few companies willing to enter something like this 
without knowing ALL the details ahead of time.


> IMO, licenses for shared TLDs will be complicated but straightforward
> documents, with manageable pitfalls, whereas licenses for monopoly
> TLDs will be much more complex and subtle, and with very, very much 
> more expensive consequences if snags occur.
> 
> > >b) This list as well as others has shown to me at least, that certain
> > >companies and individuals cannot live in peace and harmony in any sort
> > >of shared system, let alone a shared TLD.  How long do you think a shared
> > >TLD would last if it is shared by say 4-5 of the more common posters
> > >to this forum?  No amount of rules and guidelines would save it.
> 
> All I can say, Hank, is that it would not be in their economic 
> self-interest to destroy the TLD, and the licensing terms should be 
> thought about very carefully vis a vis fostering mutual economic self 
> interest for the registries.

Yes.  If they are logical and sane.  What if you buy into a shared
TLD and end up with a nightmare on your hands?

> 
> -- 
> Kent Crispin				"No reason to get excited",
> kent@songbird.com,kc@llnl.gov		the thief he kindly spoke...
> PGP fingerprint:   B6 04 CC 30 9E DE CD FE 6A 04 90 BB 26 77 4A 5E
> 

Hank Nussbacher
IAHC member
[the views expressed above belong to the author and do not
necessarily reflect the views of the other IAHC members]