[governance] How do ICANN's actions hurt the average Internet

[Yehuda Katz]

George,
Let’s categorize a few baseline definitions for “Average Internet User”
first, 
Then let’s define “Hurt” … the User, as Icann’s actions effect them
directly, and as those action affect the interactive-relationship between them,
and how the action affects the system holistically (systemics). 
Lets keep it simple (K.I.S.S.).

At the starting level there are those who simply access the internet in various
ways to; Surf, Shop, & Message (Via: Home computer, Work Computer, Internet
Café, Handi’s (Cell Device, etc…). In an asymmetric scenario they are at
the receiving end of the Push. These are the ‘Common Users’ of the Net
(i.e.: Net-Tourist).

The next level is the ‘Commercial Service Users’, these Folks use
commercial services like: eBay, Skype, Craigslist, Wordpress, Paypal (i.e.:
They are commerce account holders) etc.  They are the Street Pushers, in an
asymmetric scenario.

Next level is the ‘Hosting Service Users’, they typically subscribe to a
Hosting provider, but do not run their	own Web Server \ Name Server, they may
own a small number of Domains (1-20) and actually have hosted sites for  a few
of those, the rest are inventory (i.e.: SoHo’s). They are the SoHo Pushers,
in an asymmetric scenario (i.e.: Professional Services).

Up a level too ‘Self Hosted Users’ they run their own in-house Sever and
typically own (1-50) Domains for a variety of uses (email, content, voip. foip,
porting addresses, etc..)  They range from small to medium business companies,
and depend on Local and National commerce (sales) , not International business.

>From this we enter the realm of the ‘SoHo Domainers’, they hold a number of
Domains from One too One Hundred (50-100) . These Domains are: Parked,
Forwarded, & held as Speculative Inventory for a possible future Startup. SoHo
Domineers’ use commercial drop services of: SnapNames, Pool, NameJet, Go
Daddy, & Moniker  etc… to acquire domains and sell Domains. The SoHo
Domainers’ budget is pretty much regulated by the annual size of their
wallet, and typically won’t want to spend more than $100 for a Domain, but
may spend upward to $400. Depends upon what they are trying to accomplish, and
the personal funds available.

Next up, ‘Domain Traders’ these guys buy and sell domains for a living, the
Domain is a inventory asset, it is usually: Parked for Sale or Listed with the
Commercial Drop Services. Domain Traders’ speculate heavily on new TDLs for
the cash cow Domain Names (i.e.: sex(dot)anything). A Domain Traders’
portfolio is anywhere from 100 – 1000 Domains in investment inventory. They
are not Registers, and frequent Auctions to Buy, Sell and Trade. The upper end
may spend up to 10K depending on their margin, for a Domain.

The ‘Domain Brokers’  hits the upper limit of Domain inventory investment,
these portfolios are in excess of thousands (1000+), the Players are typically
ICANN sanctioned Domain Registers backed by Investment Capital funds. Moniker,
Go Daddy, Momentous, T.R.A.F.F.I.C., AfterMarket, Overseer etc…The Domain
Brokers host & fuel the Domain market with Live Auctions and Events, and keep
their ball rolling.

A last there are the Registrars and Registries, their mediacy of DNS Names
allows them access to nearly an infinite amount of Domain Names, of which the
inventory is related to the creativeness of the Original Registrant
(whatever(dot)anything).

So let’s recap the User Groups:
Common Users (Net-Tourist), Commercial Service Users (non-hosting), Hosting
Service Users (1-20 Domains), Self Hosted Users (1-50 Domains),  SoHo Domainers
(50-100 Domains), Domain Traders (100-1000 Domains), Domain Brokers (1000+
Domains), & Registrars and Registries (infinite). ... 
--

Now let’s define ‘Hurt’ … the Internet User, in terms of: Social,
Economic, Developmental, & Geo Political effects.

Socially, how does it affect the Groups.
Economically, how does it affect the Groups.
Developmentally, how does it affect the Groups.
Geo Politically, how does it affect the Groups.
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I’ll break these up into individual posts [Social, Economic, Developmental, &
Geo Political effects], too lessen the length of this post:

How do ICANN's actions hurt Socially,
How do ICANN's actions hurt Economically,
How do ICANN's actions hurt Developmentally,
How do ICANN's actions hurt Geo Politically.

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Sorry, I did not intent to make your question into a Thesis. ____________________________________________________________
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