ICANN is wrong
- Transfer
A week has passed since ICANN began accepting applications for top-level domains (TLDs).
However, Esther Dyson, founder and chairman of ICANN, argues that there is no need to register new TLDs. Moreover, there are good reasons not to.
There are relatively harmless TLDs. For example, there is nothing wrong with Google buying .google. However, if Amazon buys .amazon, it will cause controversy - the rainforest in South America has that name, and .apple can be a whole problem for people growing, and just loving apples. But put that aside. If the company owns a trademark with this name - excellent, let them buy the appropriate TLD, that's okay.
But what if someone buys your brand? Do not worry, ICANN tells us, we took this into account, the owner is determined by the results of the competition among brand owners.
Good. And if the name is registered by the open source community, which does not have the financial resources to participate in the competition? For example, I played a role in the creation and development of blogs. How can Google gain the right to take possession of the value inherent in a text blog? They do not own it just because they are called Google. However, they have every right to become this owner by paying $ 185K to ICANN. There is no clause in their proposal that promises to pay the creators of the idea, which they can simply pick up. Even if the creators do not want to sell their creation.
Now you understand what the problem is. And this also applies to those words and concepts that were not created by any of the living. Sex, love, laughter, children, books, songs, cars, poetry ... These things should not be TLD. They are too important, too simple for life. Not items that any company, shouting loudly, can get into the property.
Moreover, it is obvious that this will lead to a lot more problems, similar to those that we have with a dead end around software patents. Companies fighting for our future, leaving us with nothing, pawns. We have observed patent confusion for years, but could not prevent it. This time we can and must do it.
In general, this could be an interesting experiment, worth it to be brought to life and to find out all the problems that are associated with it. Thanks to all potential registrars for opening our eyes. However, the answer should be a positive no. Existing TLDs completely suit us. No gain in link length is worth these changes. Let's work on problem solving, not create new ones.
However, Esther Dyson, founder and chairman of ICANN, argues that there is no need to register new TLDs. Moreover, there are good reasons not to.
There are relatively harmless TLDs. For example, there is nothing wrong with Google buying .google. However, if Amazon buys .amazon, it will cause controversy - the rainforest in South America has that name, and .apple can be a whole problem for people growing, and just loving apples. But put that aside. If the company owns a trademark with this name - excellent, let them buy the appropriate TLD, that's okay.
But what if someone buys your brand? Do not worry, ICANN tells us, we took this into account, the owner is determined by the results of the competition among brand owners.
Good. And if the name is registered by the open source community, which does not have the financial resources to participate in the competition? For example, I played a role in the creation and development of blogs. How can Google gain the right to take possession of the value inherent in a text blog? They do not own it just because they are called Google. However, they have every right to become this owner by paying $ 185K to ICANN. There is no clause in their proposal that promises to pay the creators of the idea, which they can simply pick up. Even if the creators do not want to sell their creation.
Now you understand what the problem is. And this also applies to those words and concepts that were not created by any of the living. Sex, love, laughter, children, books, songs, cars, poetry ... These things should not be TLD. They are too important, too simple for life. Not items that any company, shouting loudly, can get into the property.
Moreover, it is obvious that this will lead to a lot more problems, similar to those that we have with a dead end around software patents. Companies fighting for our future, leaving us with nothing, pawns. We have observed patent confusion for years, but could not prevent it. This time we can and must do it.
In general, this could be an interesting experiment, worth it to be brought to life and to find out all the problems that are associated with it. Thanks to all potential registrars for opening our eyes. However, the answer should be a positive no. Existing TLDs completely suit us. No gain in link length is worth these changes. Let's work on problem solving, not create new ones.