On Fri, 26 Apr 2002, Michael-Pappas wrote:

> Saliya, you left out the 'combinations'  ...
> 
> choose any combination of ;

> 
> .com / .com.au
> .net / .net.au
> .org / .org.au
> .biz / .biz.au
> .info / .info.au

Michael-Pappas,

This is just a specific instance of the general case that suggests you
need to register (n) domain names, where (n > 1). For your example, n=2. 

The general case was started those who make $x profit per domain (i.e.
those that sell them) - elementary maths tells us that if x > 0,
increasing n will increase x. That is, the more names that are sold, the
more money the seller makes.

> To protect your names you only need the combination of two... I service

Actually, this is completely wrong. To protect your DNS name you only need
*one* name (and, of course, to keep it registered). That is, to protect
'foo.com' you only need to register 'foo.com'.

Trying to map 'foo' to an identity is the problem, because 'foo' isn't a
DNS entry (foo.com is). Essentially, the justification is prevention of
'passing off' of 'foo' - the problem with this is that the DNS is not the
place to do it.

> I'm also presuming that you are referencing ICANN as the DOT... If I'm
> wrong let me know..

"." == root level domain. There's only one. There are proprietary
extensions that are put out by 'alternate root servers' but that's a whole
'nother argument that I'm not going to get into here (and I hope nobody
else will, either).

> I'm also gald that you can make assumptions on my vested intrests... Just
> to let you know the number of domain names that is registered help us all..
> more names, more money for the companies that provide the services, more
> services that are avaiable, the more names that are registered. And in the
> end it gives the auDA more to do the things that we all want for the .au
> domain space...

This is not a self-fulfilling prophecy. 

Domain name registrations cost money. Registering (n) domains at $x per
domain costs $nx. If only 1 domain is required, $(n-1)x is extra expenses
for the producing entity that need to be funded by sales of the product.

The *extra* money ultimately has to come from somewhere: and at the end of
the day, it comes from you (by 'you' I mean the consumer).

The number of domain names that is registered helps *those who make money
from registering names*. In fact, I would suggest that registering
multiple names for a single entity in the general case actually does more
harm than good:

it implies to other organisations that they need to act similarly
it restricts the number of choices for subsequent registrants
more choices means more confusion for the end-user

> > That's not good for anybody apart from those whose business it is to
> > sell domain names. Anybody who has such a vested interest need not
> > reply to this thread :)

(because all they're going to do is try to justify increasing their
'base level' of service: 'you must register n domain names, n > 1')

Regards,

Saliya