[governance] new TLDs?

[Hans Klein]

Before we get into a big discussion over style, let's follow Ronda's final 
comment to keep the discussion on substantive matters open.

If Carlos (or others) oppose the addition of new TLDs, I would be 
interested to learn more about that position. (I didn't quite see that in 
his post.)

Personally, I have been of the opinion that if you create huge numbers of 
TLDs, you render them rather worthless.  Once they are worthless, they are 
not worth fighting over.

So adding lots of TLDs seems to be a good thing.

True, someone may snatch up the word "book", leaving you with no 
alternative but to use a word like "amazon" to refer to books.

But if we can render the DNS uninteresting, without value, and not a point 
of control, then the problems we are trying to *solve* would mostly just 
*disappear*.

Adding large numbers of TLDs seems to contribute to that goal.

Hans


At 11:14 AM 8/29/2005, Ronda Hauben wrote:

>Milton
>
>It's hard to see motives being questioned of someone who might have
>a different idea of how Internet governance should be carried out,
>rather than trying to identify what the difference is and acknowledge
>that there are significant differents.
>
>There is a real need for a serious discussion on this list, and a
>response like Milton's instead seems to be aimed at intimidating such
>a discussion.
>
>I don't know if "most believe that competition, diversity and
>muiltilingualism will require some new TLDs."
>
>The problem I have with the statement, Milton, is that is Internet
>governance and the future of the Internet about what a very small
>group of people believe?
>
>The idea of "competition" in the governance of the Internet, regardless
>of what any small group of people believe, is not necessarily what
>public interest considerations of the present and future of the Internet
>would determine as needed.
>
>Also there seems a serious problem with the following statement that you 
>have made:
>
>  One can only wonder, then, about the priorities and logic of someone who
>>supports top-down intervention by governments to bring about an outcome
>>that he wants but most people in the process don't want.
>
>Carlos is in the process. His views need to be heard, rather than there
>being an effort to intimidate or dismiss them on other than reasoning.
>
>The very small group of people who have financial or other support making
>it possible for them to be in this process is already too small to be
>narrowing down the set of already narrow views that are being considered
>by the view who are able to go to the various meetings around the world.
>
>This mailing list would serve the whole process of trying to contribute
>to the discussion on Internet governance if it were possible to have a
>broad ranging discussion of the issues so the salient issues could be
>determined.
>
>Instead the issues get narrowed and even within this narrow focus,
>any but the narrowest views are welcomed.
>
>Those who dare to express something different are either ignored, or
>get statements that their views don't belong.
>
>The issues I tried to raise of the need for an online process welcoming
>netizen input into any forms created for managing the infrastructure of
>the Internet were dismissed.
>
>Now there is an effort to claim that Carlos's views should be dismissed
>as they are not the views of others like you Milton, and that one has
>to also question any other ideas he might have.
>
>Well, this is a mailing list that is open, not a closed list for
>those with the set of narrow views that Milton claims are only those
>allowed.
>
>So let the discussion open up, don't shut it off please.
>
>Thanks
>
>Ronda
>
>On Mon, 29 Aug 2005, Milton Mueller wrote:
>
>>It's good to get a frank admission from Carlos that he's basically 
>>against any new TLD proposal.
>>
>>This is a position that has some supporters, but only a very small 
>>minority of those who have considered it. Both civil society organs 
>>within ICANN (ALAC and NCUC) have adopted resolutions taking the opposite 
>>position. Most believe that competition, diversity and multilingualism 
>>will require some new TLDs.
>>
>>One can only wonder, then, about the priorities and logic of someone who 
>>supports top-down intervention by governments to bring about an outcome 
>>that he wants but most people in the process don't want.
>>
>>>>>Carlos Afonso <ca at rits.org.br> 08/29/05 10:00 AM >>>
>>If all this means doom to the gTLD business religion, yes, I will be
>>very happy!! Have anyone noticed the Internet can run very easily with
>>any combination of these letters, or just with ccTLDs, as long as you do
>>not touch the numbering infrastructure?
>>
>>In the meantime, I thank Milton for doing srhink work on me for free ::))
>>
>>--c.a.
>>
>>Milton Mueller wrote:
>>
>>>Bill,
>>>Perhaps it's because you're an expat American, but you seem to be the
>>>only person on the list who understands the implications of this. I hope
>>>people are reading what you said below. People who talk about how much
>>>they like the "flexibility" of ICANN because it responds to last-minmute
>>>political pressures are going to find out what that really means. And
>>>people like Carlos who _think_ they are happy because the US is exerting
>>>pressure to do what it wants this time, will learn the hard way, too,
>>>not to abandon principle for expediency.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>>>wdrake at cpsr.org 08/24/05 11:31 AM >>>
>>>>>>
>>>>I would not be at all surprised if, having gotten a taste with the
>>>>
>>>highly
>>>
>>>
>>>>useful .xxx controversy, America's christian right starts poking
>>>>
>>>around in
>>>
>>>
>>>>other bits of Internet governance in search of high yield targets.
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>_______________________________________________
>>>governance mailing list
>>>governance at lists.cpsr.org
>>>https://ssl.cpsr.org/mailman/listinfo/governance
>>>
>>>.
>>>
>>>
>>
>>--
>>++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>>Carlos Afonso
>>diretor de planejamento
>>Rede de Informações para o Terceiro Setor - Rits
>>Rua Guilhermina Guinle, 272, 6º andar - Botafogo
>>Rio de Janeiro RJ - Brasil         CEP 22270-060
>>tel +55-21-2527-5494        fax +55-21-2527-5460
>>ca at rits.org.br            http://www.rits.org.br
>>++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
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>>governance at lists.cpsr.org
>>https://ssl.cpsr.org/mailman/listinfo/governance
>
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