How does one "claim" a TLD?

[Bob Allisat <bob@wtv.net>]

A claim for a domain arises from
 a number of sources. First is some
 history of prior use for a secondary
 Domain or the name of an enterprise
 (profit or charitable). For example
 .FCN and .WTV are the two registries
 I "claim". As long as I abide by
 basic rules I "own" the secondary
 domains WTV.NET and FCN.NET. I also
 have copyright over "World TeleVirtual
 Network" (WTV). While "Free Community
 Network" is a differant sort of term,
 sort of like "Public Library" and is,
 therefore universal, I have a long
 stated interest in pursuing this Top
 Level Domain for the public or general
 good. In the capitalist sense of the
 word I "own" niether. Rather I see
 myself as a steward of these Top
 Level Domains and I wish to see them 
 both become fully fledged registries.

 Another important aspect of this
 matter is the ability to actually
 create a registry - either directly
 or by alignment or partnership. We
 have, in the past, run our FCN.NET
 and .FCN registry. We could easily
 begin operations again for both .WTV
 and .FCN. Therfore not only is there
 some legitimacy to the Domains there
 is the capacity to realize a living
 registry and thus serve the public.

 Finally no-one in all of the thousands
 of articles, in any of the mailing lists
 or newsgroups or discussions centering
 around or concerned with our specific
 claims to .FCN or .WTV has expressed
 a counter claim or previous use challenge
 in specific regard to the operation of
 a Domain Name Registry. This is important.
 While there may be trademark or copyright
 holders to these phrases in any of the
 190 nations on Earth there appears to be
 no claim on these acronyms as Top Level
 Domains. So we have a clean line of
 stewardship on .FCN and .WTV.

 For the record we wish to commercially
 sell .WTV domains in order to subsidize
 what we envisage as a *free* .FCN registry.
 .FCN is geared to charitable, non-profit &
 community computer network groups. .WTV is
 intended to serve the many emmerging Internet
 Cybercast content providers. The relationship
 would be mutually benificial.

 I hope this goes a little further to explain
 the issue from a real time, personal, relatively
 straight-forward perspective. In conclusion I
 must add that I intend to defend our legitimate
 claim to stewardship to .FCN and .WTV with
 whatever tools are at my disposal should anyone
 unjustly challenge them. And I will be happy
 to co-operate with any and all parties who
 may be interested in furthering our goals
 as stated above.
 
 TeleVirtually Yours,

 Bob Allisat

 Director, World TeleVirtual Network             http://www.wtv.net
 PO Box 191 St E Toronto Canada M6H 4E2                 bob@wtv.net
 (416) 534-1999                   http://www.wtv.net/portfolio.html