Re: Google Wants to Create a Dotless Domain Called "Search"..?

[Doug Barton <dougb () dougbarton us>]

On 04/12/2013 04:10 PM, Scott Weeks wrote:
> On 4/11/13, Oliver Garraux <oliver () g garraux net> wrote:
>
> > The whole custom TLD thing is just a truly awful, awful idea.
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> --------- mysidia () gmail com wrote: -------------------
> From: Jimmy Hess <mysidia () gmail com>
>
> Agreed;  but it would seem that unstoppable forces have been set into
> motion by ICANN, to cause it to happen, regardless of whether it is
> beneficial to the community, and regardless of any objections from the
> public...
> ----------------------------------------------
>
>
> I believe that unstoppable force is called the want of money.

The ICANN board, and to some extent the staff, rather vigorously opposed 
the further expansion of the TLD space after what can only charitably be 
described as the modest success of the 2000 round names (of which INFO 
was the only standout of the seven, and the only one which continues to 
hold its own).

However, the pressure from the community was overwhelming to open up the 
process again, and continued unabated from a time even before the 2000 
round was closed. Whatever criticisms you can lay at the feet of ICANN, 
especially in recent years, "greed for new TLDs" is not one of them.

Disclaimer, I followed the ICANN process closely from the beginning, and 
was a founding member of the SSAC from 2001 until I joined the staff in 
2003. I left the ICANN staff in 2005, but remain deeply interested in 
what it does, and how it does it.

Doug