Re: [Membership] DNS: Drawing the Wrong Conclusion

[Kent Crispin <kent@songbird.com>]

On Wed, Feb 17, 1999 at 06:36:14PM -0500, Joseph LeBaron wrote:
> Kent Crispin wrote:
> 
> 	<<I can also say from my experience in registering domain names for
> people that *every single case* of a single individual registering a
> domain has been in support of a real or anticipated business.>>
> 
> Comment:  Actually, your experience -- and the similar experience of
> others --  proves very little.

I never said it "proved" anything, and I put at least one such
disclaimer in my post somewhere.  Indeed, it strikes me as almost
nonsense to even bring up the notion of "proof" in this context, don't
you agree?

> What you've observed is the impact of price
> on demand.

Vast overgeneralization. 

> It is virtually axiomatic that, if and as the price of domain
> name registration comes down, the number of personal domain name
> registrations will rise, and rise dramatically.

Axiom: something assumed without further substantiation.

The issue is the *ratio* of personal to organizational domain names,
not the absolute increase.  There is no clear guidance as to how the
ratio would change.  For example: If the price of a domain name went
to near zero one can argue just as well that more *organizations* will
get domain names, and that *organizations* will be more likely than
individuals to get multiple domain names (indeed, some large
corporations already get domain names in *every* TLD -- we can assume
that if the cost went to zero *every* organization would attempt to
get domain names in every TLD.)

I cite this only as an example.  We could argue endlessly about which
scenarios are more likely, and I certainly don't want to waste *your*
time in pointless argument.

My point was that in my direct experience commercial/organizational
domain names vastly outnumber "personal" domain names.  Period.  I
invite everyone else look carefully at their own direct experience, 
and draw their own conclusions.

Kent