Re: Thread 5: Defining the namespace (was Re: Thread 1: Sharing)

[Alan Sullivan <sully@frontiernet.net>]

Hank Nussbacher wrote:
> 
> I would assume some sort of gTLD charter would have to be written so that
> everyone knows what belongs in each gTLD.  But how do you enforce it?  What
> is to stop a news agency from wanting to register a .net SLD?  Or should we
> ignore that entirely and just hope that everyone opens a SLD in the proper
> place?  By using very generic gTLDs like .inet and .iway we eliminate that
> problem.  Which is better?  I'd like to hear opinions on this matter.
> Hank Nussbacher
> IAHC member
> [The views expressed above are the authors alone and may not reflect
> the view of other IAHC members]

Hi Hank,
We can go at this from two approaches - let the market decide which
gTLDs will exist (how this is accomplished would be open for discussion)
or use the library science approach and deliberately determine the gTLD
name space. Certainly having a central planning appraoch does allow one
to order the name space in some logical way. Which approach is taken
should be determined by the extensibility of the gTLD name space. 

I think if you just let the public register anywhere they want - then
most people will not end up in the correct gTLD for their SLD. A lot of
education is in order here. I have talked to many operators of ISPs in
the US and you may be surprised how ignorant they are of the present TLD
name space. A lot of them assume EVERYTHING goes in .com ,and some of
them do not even know about nTLDs such as .us. I think education and not
cohersion would be the best approach. I think it will be up to the
registrars to educate the consumer and provide some sort of consultation
about where the best name space for their customers to occupy given
their customers' needs.

Thanks,
Alan
-- 
Alan Sullivan -- Top Domain Registry Inc.
1550 Rush-Scottsville Rd.
Rush, NY 14543 
Phone: 716 533-2387 FAX: 716 533-1410