> My goodness...
> 
> Out of curiosity does anyone know just how ready is auDA  to take over
> control and initiate things such as opening up the monopoly, changing some
> old policies and so on. If they are (???) perhaps in light of the
> information below some very serious lobbying has to take place ASAP. Some
> very serious concerns have been raised, primarily how can a monopoly be
> allowed to go public? Particularly as those in charge of the monopoly are

There are lots of real world examples of that in Australia - Telstra comes
to mind.

> quite comfortable with the status quo and are even keener about wrapping
> things up in red tape to entrench its position. ie check out recent SMH
> peice 7 Oct on greenmailers... (And by the way the above comments are of
> course just the opinions of this humble scribe) Perhaps it is time for the
> Ministers office to actually enforce the handover to auDA. (On a secondary
> note can anyone inform me - (off list if required) just what the Ministers
> office really wants, expects, desires, if they actually care,  ect...)
 


> Matthew  King
> 
> By the way some thoughts re. major policy changes needed.
> 
> * The easy selling of .com.au domains, I heard how just how it was done
> over the weekend and I did not know whether to laugh or cry.
> * Generic names, forget an auction. have a period of time for people to
> apply for the domains they want then randomly pick one for each and then
> charge the standard ammount. I would normally advocate an auction but this
> system seems more interesting. (Please not like SOCOG however) This could
> be auDA's first real task. ie don't let INA do it.....
> * The opening up of the database monopoly. goes without saying really...
> * I am beginning to think some sort of linkage to trading names is a
> reasonable idea but no stupid generic name restrictions please (see above)
> * Community standards? I don't care what consenting adults do at home nor
> do I care where you travel on the internet, what you look nor what you
> read. This one has to go...

With the BSA happening 1 Jan 2000 (if all of our computers still work)
this will probably be required by that really dumb law !


> * Location domains should be kept asid. Sold to Australia Post or to the
> local council perhaps?  However I would point out I have a vested interest
> in this one (www.bondibeach.com) so I have had a little trouble working out
> a logical framework. Yet the gut feeling is that it should be seen as
> national infrastructure. ie the only people with the right to it should be
> Gov. based bodies (that represent us all). like Australia post. A bit like
> green corridors kept asid for future rail or road links. It's there now and
> could be usefull for something or other later down the track ...
> * Despite the above point domains should not be tied to trademarks etc.
> Acme widgets with a turnover of $20,000 should have as much right to a
> domain acme.com.au as Acme Inc with a turnover of $20,000,000. If they get
> in early they should be rewarded.
> * Having a trade mark however should allow you to get a domian name. So
> companies could have multiple domians for products. Basically it should be
> trated as an ACN or RBN or as a stat dec for trading under your name (no
> special treatment just the ability to register)
> * Any thoughts on other legitimate claims to be able to register?
> Government based of course. (Despite being a free market capitalist at
> heart I really feel that the gov. as the peoples representative has a part
> to play.)
> * No more subjective tests for any domain. ie. .edu and org......
> * A form of supply class accreditation or seal of approval. Nothing too
> harsh or expensive but I would like it to be a sign that a company follows
> industry guidlines. (which have to be written of course) (be good to each
> other etc..)
> * A formal appeal process for domain name disputes and for disputes re. the
> service of supply class members.
> 
> Any thoughts, comments, death threats etc...
> 
> Matt
> 
> 
> 
> >Is everybody aware that INA is about to list.
> >
> ><snip from
> >news.com.au>
> >
> >   Uni aims for $92m sale
> >   By NIC HOPKINS
> >
> >   29oct99
> >
> >   THE University of Melbourne hopes it will earn nearly $92.5 million
> >from
> >   the sale of shares in its domain name registry business, Melbourne
> >IT.
> >
> >   The float, through JB Were & Son, will be the second-largest in the
> >   Internet sector in Australia, beaten only by the $160.8 million
> >initial
> >   public offer of shares in ecorp, the former PBL Online.
> >
> >   The initial public offer will cut the stake held by Melbourne
> >University's
> >   commercialisation arm, Melbourne Enterprise International, from 100
> >   per cent to 15 per cent.
> >
> >   It will raise $85 million and a small amount of new equity will be
> >   offered to raise another $7.5 million. Total market capitalisation of
> >the
> >   company will be close to $110 million after the float.
> >
> >   Melbourne IT operates as an independent commercial company best
> >   known for its division Internet Names WorldWide. This administers the
> >   .com.au registry and provides services in .com, .net, .org and .co.uk
> >   domains.
> >
> >   Internet Names WorldWide was first known as Internet Names
> >   Australia, which managed the .com.au registry. It is the third
> >largest
> >   domain space in the world after Germany's .de and Britain's .co.uk.
> >
> >   This year, INA was accredited by the US-based Internet Corporation
> >   of Assigned Names and Numbers to officially administer the .com, .net
> >   and .org domain names around the world, and it changed its name to
> >   Internet Names World Wide.
> >
> >   At present, the business has a monopoly in Australia and, while it
> >has
> >   most to lose when competition arrives, it is confident that the
> >   expansion of the market will be strong enough to ensure revenue
> >   growth.
> >
> >   It is understood the share offer values Melbourne IT at about 30
> >   times historical revenues and 4.5 expected revenues for financial
> >   2000-01.
> >
> >   JB Were has been road-showing the float to institutional investors
> >all
> >   this week. Deloitte Corporate Finance is also advising on the offer.
> >
> >   Some potential investors are concerned at the magnitude of the
> >   selldown, perceived in some quarters as "cashing in its chips".
> ><unsnip>
> >
> >Is anyone concerned that this story is occurring prior to any handover
> >to AUDA.
> >Obvious questions for AUDA and KRE are:
> >1)Will any NEW INA be obliged to hand over anything?
> >2)Will the board be obliged to act for it's shareholders as all other
> >boards are, and if so, why in the world would they be all keen to hand
> >the control for the .com.au and the WHOIS database over to anyone?
> >3)Will the .com.au be handed over at all?
> >4)Have we all lost/wasted our membership money because now there exists
> >little chance that a NEW LISTED COMPANY will be obliged to give away
> >it's best asset?
> >5) What safeguards have been put in place to ensure the .com.au will be
> >handed over?
> >6)What safeguards have been put in place to ensure the whois database is
> >freely accessible and available to auda and it's members?
> >
> >
> >Just a few questions from a concerned auda member ...
> >
> >*Perhaps KRE could take 5 minutes from his very busy schedule and give
> >us his take on some pertinent issues for us all.
> >I for one would be very interested to hear his slant on things.
> >
> >Bye.
> >Mike.
> >
> >--
> >This article is not to be reproduced or quoted beyond this forum without
> >express permission of the author.  You don't know who really wrote it.
> >260 subscribers. Archived at http://lists.waia.asn.au/list/dns (dns/dns)
> >Email "unsubscribe" to dns-request&#167;waia.asn.au to be removed.
> 
> 
> 
> --
> This article is not to be reproduced or quoted beyond this forum without
> express permission of the author.  You don't know who really wrote it.
> 260 subscribers. Archived at http://lists.waia.asn.au/list/dns (dns/dns)
> Email "unsubscribe" to dns-request&#167;waia.asn.au to be removed.
> 
> 

-- 
Stephen Baxter  CCNA             SE Network Access/Big Networks Australia

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