Quicksearch
The IRT black box
Thursday, March 26. 2009
The noise that I'm hearing about the IRT – the Implementation Recommendation Team that the ICANN Board at its Mexico meeting requested be set up to give trademark holders sufficient protection as new gTLDs are introduced – has me slightly worried.
Despite some strong, and I think well-founded, recommendations to the contrary, it seems the IRT has decided to work behind closed doors. No publication of the meeting transcripts or recordings, no open mailing list so that anyone in the community can follow its discussions (like they can for, say, the GNSO Council, whose mailing list is public). This, I'm told, so that IRT members can have "open and frank" discussions.
I do understand the principle. On such sensitive topics, you can sometimes expect more productive results if you allow behind-closed-doors deliberations so that people don't feel like Big Brother is watching them every time they open their mouth. Yet I can't help but think that keeping the rest of us in the dark about what's going on in the IRT is a missed opportunity to show that real thought is going into debugging the potentially explosive IP issue.
Continue reading "The IRT black box"
Auction.com sells for $1.7 million
Tuesday, March 24. 2009
Real Estate auction specialist REDC has made domain name headlines by shelling out $1.7 million for the domain Auction.com.
"I've wanted this domain for years," REDC Chairman Robert Friedman was quoted as saying in a press release. "REDC is without question the number one real estate auctioneer in America and quite likely the world. This is a domain we should have had from the beginning and I'm thrilled we are finally Auction.com."
Up until now, REDC used the domain USHomeAuction.com, which now points to Auction.com directly.
By showing that descriptive domain names still have high intrinsic value for ambitious businesses, this sale is a clear indication that downturns are also great buying opportunities for those who are either savvy, or rich enough, to make them.
Al Gore backs .ECO
Friday, March 6. 2009
I met the .ECO guys here in Mexico during the ICANN conference just as they'd been given a huge boost by Al Gore. The former US vice president has come out in favour of the environmental new TLD proposal.
"We fully support Dot Eco LLC in its efforts to secure the .ECO top level domain through the ICANN application process and look forward to working with Dot Eco LLC to promote .ECO," Gore is quoted as saying on Dot Eco LLC's website. "This is a truly exciting opportunity for the environmental movement and for the internet as a whole."
That's good news for the .ECO initiative, but I have to admit I don't understand why Gore would support .ECO anymore than the .GREEN (an acronym for Global Response to Environmental and Economic Necessities) project, which also aims to promote eco awareness.
Still, Dot Eco LLC CEO Fred Krueger is understandably chuffed at getting Gore's backing. Fred's an enthusiastic guy and clearly passionate about his TLD project. He told me that he plans to partner with .NYC proponent Anthony Van Couvering's new company Minds and Machines to set .ECO up
Classes and timelines, the new gTLD debate
Thursday, March 5. 2009
The ICANN Board in session during the Mexico meeting Public Forum (Photo SVG).
Two of the most talked about points at this week's 34th ICANN meeting in Mexico are the new gTLD program's timeline and the possibility of having different classes for different types of new gTLD applicants.
From Monday's joint AC/SO meeting, in which I was involved as a GNSO Council member and where ICANN's different advisory committee and supporting organisations came together for informal discussions, to today's (Thursday) Public Forum, the two topics have been at the fore.
The class idea is to have ICANN differentiate between types of applicants so that, basically, the "easy" ones aren't delayed by the "difficult" TLD applications. Proponents include the so-called GeoTLD applicants, such as cities and regions, which have the backing of their local authority or government and therefore should probably generate less validation issues.
From the various discussions I've had this week, it is clear that ICANN staff are not very open to this class idea for the moment. The fear seems to be that correctly identifying TLD applicants might prove difficult, with the risk that certain applicants would be able to "slip through" by claiming to be in an easy class, even though they are not.
Continue reading "Classes and timelines, the new gTLD debate"
Cities take the lead on new TLD proposals
Wednesday, March 4. 2009
DotCities spokesperson Dirk Krischenowski presents DotCities while addressing the GNSO Council in Mexico.
DotCities spokesperson Dirk Krischenowski has just given a presentation on a group of City TLD projects that have banded together to form a new GNSO constituency during the GNSO Council meeting here in Mexico.
As INDOM's been hired by the City of Paris to work on .PARIS, I am a strong supporter of the DotCities initiative. The .PARIS project is one of the founding members of the DotCities group, which also includes .BCN (Barcelona), .HAMBURG, .NYC and .BERLIN.
During his presentation, Dirk mentioned other potential City or Regional TLD projects that might be interested in joining the City constituency. These include .KÖLN (for the German city of Cologne (notice their use of an umlaut on the O, indicating that they may intend to apply for an IDN TLD)), .LONDON, .PDX (for the Greater Portland Area), .BOSTON, .CHICAGO, .SEOUL and .TOKYO. Significant proof, I think, that City and Regional TLDs are amongst the most dynamic new TLD initiatives to come out of the new gTLD program.
Goodbye Paul Twomey
Monday, March 2. 2009
ICANN President and CEO Paul Twomey at today's Mexico City meeting opening ceremony, announcing he will be stepping down at the end of his current term on June 30th. (photo SVG).
Paul Twomey will be stepping down at the end of 2009 after 6 years as ICANN's President and CEO. Twomey explained the reasons for his desire to leave ICANN during today's Mexico City meeting opening ceremony.
"I have been President since 2003," Twomey reminded a packed main meeting room at the Sheraton Centro Historico convention centre, where the 34th ICANN meeting is taking place this week. "In fact, today is my 60th month as President. My contract expires in June and I have told the Board that I would not be seeking its renewal for another 3-year term."
Twomey, who was Chairman of ICANN's Governmental Advisory Committee (GAC) for 4 years before being named President, feels that staying on any longer would have been detrimental to the organisation he leads. "Another term would have meant 10 years of the same President," he said. "Also, on a more personal level, at 47 years of age I would like to hold other leadership positions in private enterprise."
Continue reading "Goodbye Paul Twomey"
