New registry services (Jisuk, Carlos,Marc - please note)

[Milton Mueller]

>>> Marc Schneiders <marc at SCHNEIDERS.ORG> 11/06/03 02:14PM >>>

>I suggest that we refuse to comment before we get the full thing.

Counterproductive. The "full thing" is supposed to be based on 
constituency comment.

>And why is there now this super hurry?

Get used to it! GNSO is being asked to do more than ever. 
3 Whois Task Forces, new TLD process, New Registry 
Services, UDRP review process....(now you know, heh heh, why
I didn't run for Council again.) 

The good news is that ICANN management and staff aren't
doing it unilaterally (we'd complain if they were). But
if Council doesn't act fast it either becomes irrelevant or the 
workload just piles up.

>The issue is that Verisign changed
>the behaviour of the DNS. This is no new service. This is changing an
>existing service.

SiteFinder is one issue. The problem is (as often happens in public
policy) that one actor's behavior leads to the creation of
rules that are then applied to EVERYONE. So the danger here
is that by overreacting or reacting inappropriately to the
reviled SiteFinder, ICANN further cripples of bureaucratizes
the DNS. Don't base your view of policy exclusively on whether
you hate VeriSign or not. 

>In other words: Registries cannot change things just to make money.
>Especially not if they do not sell a new product, but simply turn
>assets in their care into money makers. 

Sounds like a good general policy prescription. But no, you cannot
rely on "common sense" to implement it. You must either translate
it into the terms of the registry contract to give it legal force, or
you must implement an ex ante review procedure. 

--MM