Re: Just a thought

[Simon Higgs <simon@higgs.com>]

At 5:11 AM -0500 11/22/96, Aveek Datta wrote:

>  The squatters say they have prior-use intellectual property rights to the
>  name. Whether or not this is true, let them believe it. However, I don't
>  believe there is any way they can force themselves onto the root
>  nameservers. So if worse comes to worse, ignore the squattor TLDs. Let
>  them have their TLDs and their .01% market infiltration. Sure, maybe
>  they can scare other registries away from the TLD names in questions,
>  but can they sue the way onto the root nameservers?
>

Nobody has any precedents to quote a concrete answer. Maybe.

The problem is not the end result, but the sheer waste of time, money,
and resources that will be spent in litigation. It's far less of a
drain to spend a few extra hours processing the existing applications
already submitted to IANA, than going through hundreds and hundreds of
collective hours on lawsuit(s). Some of those applications are valid!

Also, I don't believe the domain squatter "them and us" analogy is the
right approach. You are saying that anyone following IANA's advice to
set up and test an experimental TLD as part of the operational aspect
of the TLD application process is now eliminated because they are
squatting on a TLD? Duh! That's like witch dunking (if she survives
she's guilty and is burnt at the stake - if she drowns she's innocent).


Simon

--
It may be that your sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a
warning to others.