Simplified Domains is too visionary for you technical folk

[Jason Dwyer <tcpip_god@yahoo.com>]

Ken@bellsouth.net-

Simplified Domains is a brilliant and novel idea.  "DNS Alert" Barb is NOT thinking
out of the box, nor
understanding actual human psychology.
Let me address her concerns, while walking through actual human thought
processes under
some situations.

<1) It creates and monopolizes _all_ currently allocated TLD space
with three digits - preventing any future three-digit TLDs.>

Answer:  (How can it be preventing any future 3-digit TLD's when it is,
in fact, embracing
and implementing them.) Anyway, THE VERY NOTION OF TRYING TO CATEGORIZE
WEB ENTITIES BY
THEIR DOMAIN EXTENSION IS A FAILED ONE.  It has not worked under the
.com, .net, and .org
era and will NOT work in the future.  The diversity of sites and
businesses (or REALITY for
that matter) does not lend itself to neat and simple categorization. 
Additionally, the
presentation of this mindset to Internet users is a confusing one, not
too mention to the
companies trying to register a domain.
If you disagree, visit http://www.domainbank.com and seriously examine
the new proposed
gTLD pre-registration offerings there.(.shop, .firm, .web, .rec, .nom,
,.info, and .arts)
Lets take a little peak into the future and see if it works. 

I own a sportswear company. Should I register sportswear.firm,
sportswear.shop,
sportswear.web or sportswear.rec . . or even sportswear.info?   

My company sells sportswear so .firm seems reasonable.  And I am
SELLING merchandise on the
WEB so both .shop and .web make a lot of sense as well. Of course,
since I sell "fun"
sportswear and sports is typically recreational I should definitely
consider .rec.  WAIT! 
since all these make some sense to me, then this means my customers as
well might type in
any of these 4 domains.  Since I definitely want consumers to be able
to get to my web site
with an intelligent guess, I should register ALL 4 of them. 

In fact, since I now own those 4, I might as well register the other
three offerings,
.info, .nom and .arts just to play it safe, since by owning the primary
4 it suggests to
the world that my company is represented MORE BY THE DOMAIN THAN ITS
EXTENSION.  In other
words, I am telling my consumer I am "www.sportswear.*"

UH OH ..  now no differentiation has occurred (since I bought all of
the domains) and that
was the ORIGINAL INTENT of the categorization idea.  AGAIN, the mindset
that extensions
have meaning is a confusing one to web-site owners and consumers.  This
notion needs to be
dispelled in the next system.  This can be done by opening up the
domain GTLD universe. It
might be advisabe to reserve certain extensions for certain highly
categorizable and
MANAGEABLE entities like governments.(.gov).  However, although it is
not a bad idea, I
anticipate logistical enforcement impossibilities if they try to
categorize web sites like
porn sites with .ADU or .XXX suffixes (which could then be filtered)
since anyone in the
world can put up a porn site in their basement in hours using their
personal Internet
access and use a different domain extension.

Additionally, and here's an argument I have not heard before.  Opening
up of the domain
system and eliminating  the idea within the Internet user mindset that
domain extensions
have meanings will DIMINISH THE SUCCESS of cybersquatting,  because .
.the more good real
estate there is available, the less value any particular piece of
property has.  This is
because the more good alternative domains there are the less likely a
company is to be
forced to buy the particular domain that a cybersquatter purchased.  IF
coolga.mes and
funga.mes are not available, then the company could register games.fun
or a myriad other
variations.  

In sum, arguing that categorization is a dumb idea is pretty easy,
since it has already
failed and one can clearly envision how it will fail in the future even
more miserably.

< 2)It does so without recognized authority> 

When you have a great idea, Barb.  You develop it, then present it. 
You don't present it
in scribbled pencil on tree bark. They have created a functional system
and now they are
going through the appropriate processes to have the idea assessed and
hopefully adopted by
the proper authorities.   SD is being examined by a Congressional
Subcommittee (RIGHT NOW!)
 and they are considering whether or not RMII should testify before
them, so they can
eventually suggest the idea to ICANN.

< 3)It does so for the exclusive use of _US_ Trademarks (whichare NOT
unique).

Good point.  However, running domains past trademark databases is a
move in the right
direction.  If you expect a perfect solutiion, you are going to be
disappointed. There is
NONE.  Furthermore, this system can always be improved should a better
idea present itself.

< 4) It does so for the exclusive gain of one company. >

Hooey! NOT TRUE. They are in the process of settng up a registrar
extranet so tens if not
hundreds of companies can participate. READ  Do you expect government
to innovate? Come'on!
Free enterprise and money motivations produce great ideas. It's called
free enterprise.
They should be compensated.  It is their IDEA!!

< 5 It is technically unsound in that all the root servers for
the new scheme are in a single room at MAE-West!

First, you criticize them for developing the idea too much,now you
criticize them because
it is not well enough developed. Suffice it to say, adding root servers
is a non-issue.
Clearly it will be done, if it has not been done already.  Plus, they
are VERY willing to
work with ICANN, so they may end up using those that are already
established throughout the
world.

With all due respect, your criticisms are shallow and strikingly
non-visionary.

The real brilliance of Simplified Domains is that the extension is
ALWAYS 3 characters, and
this more easily moves us into keywords since browsers could easily add
the period
transparently in the future. 

Suffice it to say, SD is pure and utter brilliance.  Far superior to
any other idea out
there.  

Critical replies are always welcomed.

Jason Dwyer
Sr. DNS Administrator




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