more on New Domain Is Proposed

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

Delivered-To: dfarber+ () ux13 sp cs cmu edu
Date: Thu, 11 Mar 2004 12:24:29 -0800
From: Kevin Murphy <kevin.murphy () computerwire com>
Subject: RE: [IP] more on New Domain Is Proposed
To: dave () farber net
Dave,

I don't pretend to be an expert on these things, but my feeling is this mTLD
proposal has next to no chance of being approved by ICANN in this current
round of applications.

ICANN is looking for "sponsored" TLDs, according to the RFP
(http://icann.org/tlds/new-stld-rfp/new-stld-application-parta-15dec03.htm).
Previous examples of sTLDs being .museum, .aero and .coop - each backed by
an existing industry-representing group and each restricted to a narrow
category of registrant.

The RFP says: "Applicants must demonstrate that the Sponsored TLD Community
is: * Precisely defined, so it can readily be determined which persons or
entities make up that community; and * Comprised of persons that have needs
and interests in common but which are differentiated from those of the
general global Internet community."

Based on some of the reports from the press conference yesterday (I was not
invited), this coalition is looking to create a TLD wide open to any
registrant, but with a restricted mobile-friendly category of content. The
New York Times reported this morning that the TLD would be non-exclusionary.
The press release certainly suggests as much.

Purely on that basis I can't see how ICANN could approve this proposal,
regardless of how meritorious it may otherwise be.

Kevin Murphy
ComputerWire

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