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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 18-Mar-15 08:39, Sam Lanfranco
wrote:<br>
</div>
<blockquote cite="mid:550971F8.70003@yorku.ca" type="cite">
<meta content="text/html; charset=utf-8" http-equiv="Content-Type">
<div class="moz-cite-prefix"><small>On 18/03/2015 7:56 AM, Timothe
Litt wrote:<br>
</small></div>
<blockquote cite="mid:550967D8.1080002@acm.org" type="cite">
<pre wrap=""><small>Doctor, doctor give me the news:
<a moz-do-not-send="true" class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/03/15/icann_doctors/">http://www.theregister.co.uk/2015/03/15/icann_doctors/</a>
Sigh.</small>
</pre>
</blockquote>
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<p class="MsoNormal">What I do not understand is why ICANN could
not see these problems coming from the start. There are problems
similar to .doctor for many of the other regulated profession
gTLDs, claims to the contrary. Even "legitimate medical
practitioners." is an ill-defined category covering a wide range
of human skills and different certification practices around the
globe. Here in Ontario we now have standards for Chinese
homeopathic practitioners. Some practitioners qualify and others
do not, using criteria that include length of practice as well
as formal training. Are they "legitimate medical practitioners"?
Yes! Do they qualify for a .doctor domain name? ....ICANN....yea
or nay?<o:p></o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">The regulation of the use of words for
professional designations, and definition of scope of practice,
are problematic enough at the national level. Trying to impose a
global regulatory regime on a gTLD is in the final analysis like
trying to herd cats. My bets are that in the long run ICANN will
be reduced to a binary decision and simply say no for some
problematic gTLDs, and when it says yes, it leaves the fights
over domain name use to other jurisdictions. This would not be
an abdication of responsibility on the part of ICANN. It would
be a recognition that other than denying a gTLD, the regulation
of domain name use at this level is beyond ICANN’s own
abilities. <span style="mso-spacerun:yes"><br>
</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sam L.<br>
<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"></span><o:p></o:p></p>
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<![endif]--> </blockquote>
As I keep saying, "it's just a name". How it gets misused -
trademark, fund-raising, consumer mis-identification - is the
registrant's concern. And if the registrant isn't suitably
concerned, courts of competent jurisdiction can instruct him - or
her registrar - or as a last resort, ICANN - to cease and desist.<br>
<br>
Of course these outcomes are foreseeable. Like any group (including
this one, but especially bureaucracies), good intentions result in
scope creep. Process, lots of rules, full employment - and silly
outcomes.<br>
<br>
You can see how this happened. Public health is a good thing. Many
people exploit this. For example those who substitute water for
drugs for profit. So can ICANN call itself a good global citizen if
it knowingly provides a means for the exploiters to take advantage
of people? And does nothing?<br>
<br>
Well, it wouldn't pass the "would your mother approve if this was on
the front page of the newspaper?" test.<br>
<br>
But it's a complicated problem, that governments have failed to
solve. So, is "doing something" better than "doing nothing"?
Shouldn't there be some minimal standard of decency?<br>
<br>
And the bureaucracy starts a process of incrementally refining the
"simple, obvious and wrong" solution...<br>
<br>
A little perspective:<br>
<br>
Many people in this group argue about domain name choice as a human
right, others worry about geographic names, or want special
protection for non-profit organizations, or trademarks. They're all
making the same fundamental mistake. They're forgetting that a
domain name is just a name. Of course, if we accepted that, this
group wouldn't have much to do - except defend the principle from
those (within as well as without) who want to use name assignment to
achieve other ends.<br>
<br>
Which leads to the other truism: "the road to hell is paved with
good intentions". Like monetization of the DNS - an attempt to
rationally allocate names by using economics. Instead of "I was
here first" or "I deserve this one", we get "I can pay more."
Sounds great. In practice, not such a smart move. A whole
industry has been built on allocating names. It moves a lot of
money around, but how that improves the human condition is lost on
me. All I know is that as an individual, I sure liked the original
FCFS, minimal cost model better.<br>
<br>
But that ship has sailed. The bureaucrats will try to do the
'right' things. This group will try to steer them toward our ideas
of 'right' - when we can agree. But none of this will provide clean
water in Africa, sensible health-care in the US, stop world
violence, or unravel the physics behind our universe. Or any of the
other big challenges. Instead we pay $0.20 to ICANN, and
$5-$thousands to brokers -- to acquire and record names. <br>
<br>
Domains are just names. Really. What's really important is what
you do with the services behind them.<br>
<br>
<pre class="moz-signature" cols="72">Timothe Litt
ACM Distinguished Engineer
--------------------------
This communication may not represent the ACM or my employer's views,
if any, on the matters discussed.
</pre>
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