FWIW I think TLDs should cost much more, like millions, other than
where they provide legitimate internationalization or specific
community service functions (TBD.)
1. They're just polluting the name space, many seem frivolous like
.RODEO or .FISHING (yeah those are real.)
2. Vanity corporate TLDs should cost twice that or more.
3. One problem with frivolous is they don't sell many SLDs so either
go under and have to be bailed out because, ya know, oh no the
registrants! (see EBERO), or just limp along, some barely able to
function as companies. A higher fee would be a higher bar.
TLDs should NOT be priced on a cost plus basis so any reasoning like
what could it cost to process a TLD app should be irrelevant.
Also, due to name collisions, i.e., more than one applicant going
after the same TLD, some of these actually did go for millions, often
in private auctions.
And some have yet to be resolved from the last round: I know of
several which are yet to function. Who cares? Well, maybe some were
worthwhile and maybe if they were much higher priced someone more
capable would have obtained them rather than spend a decade dithering.
Warning: This is an abbreviated version of my opinion on this but how
much would you have sat still for?
I've been to quite a few ICANN meetings, I'm not just spouting new,
half-thought-out impressions.
--
-Barry Shein
Software Tool & Die | b...@theworld.com | http://www.TheWorld.com
Purveyors to the Trade | Voice: +1 617-STD-WRLD | 800-THE-WRLD
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