[ncdnhc-discuss] Resolution on ORG Divestiture

[Milton Mueller]

>>> Chris Bailey <chrisbailey at gn.apc.org> 10/21/01 08:35 AM >>>
Let's bring in applicant C, who does give a detailed 
plan of how to run a 
large-scale, complex business (you seem to assume non-
commercial entities 
are incapable of this), but also produces plans for 
giving ORG a unique 
non-commercial identity by allocating profits to 
important non-commercial 
Internet issues such as the digital divide.

MM ===> 
Yes, I think this is possible, if
Applicant C has a serious business
plan and also plans to devote profits to
"good things." If its plans to do something
about the "digital divide" are focused, 
businesslike, etc. reviewers might take it
seriously.

Let's remember two important things:
1. At this stage, we are talking setting POLICY,
not about forming an applicant; i.e., we
are defining criteria that will be applied to
all applicants. That leave a lot of room for
individual applicants to propose interesting
things. 

2. When we do have applicants, we (the NCDNHC)
will not be making the selection, ICANN
management will.


Surely giving ORG such a unique non-commercial identity is the whole point 
of it being given over by Verisign. What's the point otherwise?

>Which of these proposals do you think is going
>to win the support of the ENTIRE Internet
>community, including current ORG registrants?

I think C's proposal's, given strong backing from the NCDNHC could win very 
wide support indeed from within the non-commercial Internet community.


>As for the registrar issues, again please be aware of
>real, serious political constraints. What do you think
>current registrars are going to think about efforts
>to cut them out of org and establish new, "onprofit"
>registrars that compete with them in a declining market?

They will scream blue murder. All the more reason why we should prepare for 
a tough battle here. Verisign is giving away ORG as a sop to the 
non-commercial sector, while everyone knows the really big profits lie 
elsewhere. But now the commercial sector is going to argue they want to 
continue to take the profits from ORG as well. Why shouldn't the 
non-commercial sector be entitled to channel the profits from the 
relatively small space it has been given into non-commercial Internet 
interests and issues?

Chris Bailey


>I encourage you all to file comments on this issue,
>but please put more serious thought into the whole
>situation, don't just fantasize about what you would
>do with a few million dollars.

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