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<DIV>Mr. Williams,</DIV>
<DIV> I don't know where you get the time to monitor and respond to so much in so many places, but thanks. </DIV>
<DIV> Were it the goal, still, to change ICANN, you are absolutely right. It is a foregone conclusion that their intent will remain the same. That does not mean that anyone will necessarily care about their intent in the future, though, when they leave the protection of mother government and try to do things on their own popularity. </DIV>
<DIV> I believe they are changing the one thing we need them to change to make them irrelevant in the future, and that is to step out from under the eaves of the government roof and feel the rain on their heads for perhaps the first time; people just walking away from them for greener pastures. They can make all the determinations and policies they wish with their root and some people, the less informed, will continue to play their game to get a new TLD on the internet. Most, though, when the fog clears, will see a completely viable alternative to the master / slave relationship ICANN holds with its TLD registrants. The other roots will be ready to handle them and help them sell their SLDs and provide quite ample technicals to sustain them as the market edges that way. </DIV>
<DIV> Reason has already been tried... and failed with ICANN. We gave it our best efforts now for years. It is time to leave them behind to manage their empire while it lasts while we build a new multi-root system that prevents collisions and allow freedom of choice on the root level and then, freedom of choice for the end user to choose the root best suited for them. ICANN is like the proverbial man trying to grasp al the sand in one hand, and fearing loss, grip tighter and tighter, forcing more and more of the sand from their ever smaller and strangling grasp. </DIV>
<DIV> The day is fast approaching when the internet can be free again, and work!</DIV>
<DIV>Sincerely yours,</DIV>
<DIV>Karl E. Peters, President</DIV>
<DIV>Top-Level Domain Association, Inc.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
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<DIV>-------- Original Message --------<BR>Subject: Re: SV: [governance] Re: [ga] Re: [ga] ICANN presents <BR>misleadingblackline<BR>From: "Jeffrey A. Williams" <jwkckid1@ix.netcom.com><BR>Date: Sun, December 07, 2008 7:15 pm<BR>To: governance@lists.cpsr.org, "Karl E. Peters" <kpeters@tldainc.org><BR>Cc: "Dr. Joe Baptista" <baptista@publicroot.org><BR><BR>Karl and all,<BR><BR>Good answer Karl. Unfortunately, as you all too well know, ICANN<BR>has decidedly for year now been against other root structures and has<BR>done whatever it could, even to the point of hijacking existing TLD's<BR>already up an running on other root structures ( .BIZ as well known<BR>and well documented example) and additionally demonstrated as<BR>well as articulated that as a public service company, is unwilling to<BR>share or inter operate with any other root structures. As such, it is<BR>or has become clear, and in my as well as your opinion that some<BR>governmental pressure or perhaps complement is needed to impress<BR>upon ICANN the error in it's various ways....<BR><BR>"Karl E. Peters" wrote:<BR><BR>> (I took the liberty of joining your list discussion as I feel you are<BR>> taking on very important issues and I would like to be available to<BR>> you to address some of these issues from the TLDA perspective. -Karl<BR>> E. Peters) Dear Mr. Kleinwachter, Thank you first of all, for your<BR>> response and question. In my opinion, though others may vary, the<BR>> greatest good to come from the changes I outlined below (still<BR>> attached) is a relaxation in the minds of many ISPs and individual end<BR>> users that they must carry the "official" line, the ICANN root or<BR>> perhaps some other government's root. This opens up the possibility of<BR>> many more and varied TLDs from which to choose, or even initiate, for<BR>> their particular interests or needs. With such an opening, investors<BR>> that have been standing on the sideline with regard to other roots and<BR>> TLDs will be secure in adding infrastructure to the "up and coming"<BR>> root systems that offer the most "Inclusive NameSpace" to handle more<BR>> and more traffic. The greater traffic will enable and encourage<BR>> further investment in a diverse and free internet community. It<BR>> becomes a self-perpetuating growth environment where everyone will<BR>> gain. Already, there is a very strong registrar system tested and<BR>> ready to go online for handling the move into the new frontier. (Other<BR>> registrars wishing to join the move are welcomed, and with far fewer<BR>> strings than now exist under ICANN.) There has not generally been<BR>> any technical lacking on the part of the non-governmental roots, just<BR>> a lack of traffic and thereby, long-term investment needed to keep<BR>> them growing with the internet itself. When there is no longer the<BR>> perception that there is one superior root and many pretenders (many<BR>> users don't even know there is more than one!!!), but rather many<BR>> roots from which to choose, either on the ISP level or the end-user<BR>> level, known and interested investors will provide the funds to spread<BR>> the word and educate the public to their choices. As you must know,<BR>> but few end users know, you can change your DNS choices on the<BR>> personal computer level and not be dependant on your ISP's foresight.<BR>> Much like a battle between an original cable TV carrier in an area and<BR>> an upstart that carries more channels for the same price, the people<BR>> may not immediately see a need for the additional channels, but when<BR>> they cost no more, why not give them a try. Generally speaking, once<BR>> people get used to having more, they will always demand it.<BR>> Incidentally, the TLDA, Inc. has no plan to operate a new root, but<BR>> rather to foster a more conducive atmosphere for the operation of the<BR>> TLD operators that make up our body and for whom we advocate. We would<BR>> perform more as an internet "Chamber of Commerce" than as a competing<BR>> business. As part of our advocacy, though, we would require high<BR>> operational and ethical standards for those wishing to be listed in<BR>> our recommended list and then aggressively promote the entire industry<BR>> around the world. Thank you again for the opportunity to address<BR>> your question. Please feel free to contact me anytime with further<BR>> thoughts or concerns at kpeters@tldainc.orgor my telephone (912)<BR>> 638-1638. Ich Spreche ein bichen Deutsch, aber nicht gut. (I studied<BR>> one year when I was 15!) Mandarin Chinese is my best second language.<BR>> I used to write the English language news for Shanghai TV<BR>> station. Karl E. Peters, PresidentTop Level Domain Association,<BR>> Inc. </DIV>
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