Re: Trademarks, random strings, sharing, reserved words

[Albert Tramposch <0002082489@mcimail.com>]

Brad Templeton wrote:
>Once a user takes the step of going to a directory, almost all DNS issues
>become moot.
>It is my presumption, however that we seek to not making going to
>a directory obligatory, the way it is for telephone numbers.  Otherwise
>let's just give people telephone numbers.
>People want names they can tell people, or put in ads, that will be
>remembered.   Names that people can just roll off the fingers when
>they want to email somebody.   While we should indeed have a directory
>when people need to guess names or they forget a name they were told,
>this doesn't work off-line, and it's a 2nd step people would like to
>avoid as much as possible.
>Has anybody suggested they would find a random string in a domain name
>acceptable if there is an alternative?

Of course not, but I still have not heard the alternative, except one that would
give the right to some trademark owners to use their trademark in the domain
name and deny it to others (that is, first-come, first-served), or one that
would open up an infinite number of spaces, which is the trademark-owner's
policing nightmare.

If anyone has a suggestion that would cover the multiplicity problem *and* allow
for user-friendly domain names, I would love to hear it (and will send them a
cigar!).

Albert Tramposch
WIPO
IAHC Member, speaking on my own behalf
(offering my own cigar!)