Re: application-based gTLDs

[Michael Dillon <michael@memra.com>]

On Fri, 27 Dec 1996, Scott Bradner wrote:

> > - "Generic" iTLDs which designate a common resource of the Internet (eg,
> > .WEB, .WWW, .MAIL, .NEWS...)

> The idea seems backward to me.  Traditionally the DNS scans from the
> specific to the general.
>       specific_computer.organization.type_of-organization

Traditionally the DNS also scans from the specific to the general in this
way: computer.organization.city.region.country such as
www.example.vernon.bc.ca

I agree that the actual gTLD's offered as examples are not a good idea
however if we refer to the root domain as a place for broad categories
of human endeavor then it may well make sense to have a .POST gTLD.
Of course, as you know, I would like to see such a gTLD run under rigid
rules such that an email address and URL thet exists within any .POST 
domain is guaranteed to remain operational even if the owners of the
domain fail or give up the domain. I.e. an organization might register
BERLIN.POST and sell email addresses like heinz@berlin.post along with 
a URL http://www.berlin.post/~heinz. But if the owner of BERLIN.POST
went bankrupt, the other domains within .POST would have systems ready to
take over operation of BERLIN.POST and keep those email addresses and
URL's alive in perpetuity.

This isn't the same thing as merely creating a bunch of application
specific gTLD's but is more analogous to building a global postal system
and thus it is a broad category of human endeavor.

Of course, a key element in this .POST gTLD is that it has a unique
and fairly rigid policy that is quite different from any existing
TLD. Whether or not such policies are a good idea and whether they should
be administered by the registrars or by the single central CORE registry
is another question that I haven't yet answered.

Is the IAHC intending to not only create 7 new gTLD's but also to create a
single global gTLD policy that will apply to all new gTLD's forever and
ever? Or is there room for diversity?

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