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I see that we have returned -- in a personal and heated manner -- to the question of whether .ORG should be a restricted or unrestricted gTLD. We have definitely focused on this issue, with discussion and debate. It was hardly ignored. <BR>
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Among the things we discussed (fall), was: The .ORG space is not homogeneous, and it is not solely used by organizations. .ORG has become the default space for noncommercial speech in the gTLDs. .COM and .NET are commercial. That means that everyone else seeks the refuge of .ORG. This includes organizations, political statements, educational groups, educational statements, and websites of individuals and families. It has become a wonderful thing!<BR>
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But our .ORG users are difficult to classify, and their speech and communication sometimes blurs lines because commercial groups can have noncommercial messages. .ORG is a gem on the Net -- for individuals, organizations, alliances, shared personal, political and religious beliefs, unincorporated organizations, and ideas. We discussed the deep concern that .ORG, as a sponsored gTLD, excludes some noncommercial communication and leaves it no place else to go. <BR>
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An alternative: keep .ORG as the robust place for ideas, organizations and commentary that it has become. Then, urge ICANN to create a new, sponsored gTLD that can be limited to noncommercial organizations. <BR>
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regards, kathy kleiman/acm-igp <BR>
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