Speak out against domain tasting!

[kwan]

I don't know why this hasn't been picked up so far, considering the outcome it could have for domainers.

Domain tasting has made it nearly impossible for the average person to catch or register an expired domain name. And it's not only (some? most?) domainers that frown upon domain tasting, but almost all other parties that have an interest in domains.

Finally the ICANN is looking into the issue and they're asking you to provide information and facts about it. There have been so many posts on NP about the subject that I bet every one of us could submit at least one case where we lost a domain due to domain tasting.

The ICANN asks that you provide them with the following information:

Request for Information on Domain Tasting

1. Please categorize yourself (indicate all that apply):
a) Non-Commercial Internet User
b) Government
c) Intellectual Property Rights Owner
d) Registrar
e) Registry
f) Registrant
g) Intellectual Property Rights Owner Representative
h) Registrant Representative
i) Individual Internet User

2. Which of the above categories a-I may benefit from domain tasting - and in what way?
3. Which of the above categories a-I may be disadvantaged by domain tasting - and in what way?
4. Do you believe that domain tasting impacts the security and stability of the Internet - if so, in what way?
5. Have you requested the deletion of a domain name during the AGP (Add Grace Period, definition above) - if so, how many times and for what reason?
6. Have you been disadvantaged by domain tasting - if so, how?
Potential means to address the practice of domain tasting have been suggested, including:
A) eliminating the AGP so that domain registration fees are non-refundable between registry and registrar;
B) making the ICANN annual transaction fee (currently 0.20 USD per year) apply to names deleted during the AGP, or to a significant portion of them;
C) imposing registry ‘excess deletion fees’ charged to registrars for disproportionate deletes (for example in .org, PIR registry charges 0.05 USD per deleted domain if more than 90% of domains are deleted in a given time period).

Please respond to the following questions from the perspective of your own category (see table in Question 1). Your responses on how other categories may be affected would be welcome.
7. Do you have any other suggestions in addition to A-C above?
8. Which additional disadvantages would each suggestion bring?
9. Which additional benefits would each suggestion bring?
10. Should any of these suggestions be implemented, and if so, please explain why
or why not?
11. If domain registrations are offered at no cost to the registrant by a registry (outside of special promotions), would this effectively permit domain tasting?
12. Are you opposed to offering domain registrations at no cost to the registrant?
13. Should ICANN impose a minimum registration fee on domain registrations - if so, what should the minimum fee be?
14. Please provide any statistical or other factually supported information (with source or source data included for third party validation) that could be useful for analyzing domain tasting issues.
15. Please name any expert persons you know of regarding any issues raised by this RFI.
16. Please provide any other comments you may have to this RFI.

Submissions should be sent to rfi-domaintasting at icann.org no later than 15 September 2007.

The original request is here:
http://www.icann.org/announcements/announcement-2-10aug07.htm

The request form is here:
http://www.gnso.icann.org/issues/domain-tasting/faqs-definitions-domain-tasting-10aug07.pdf

Sir Regalot posted an article last week about the subject. The article is here:
http://www.eweek.com/article2/0,1895,2167112,00.asp

Since the ICANN is requesting "both qualitative and quantitative input" every NP member that makes himself or herself heard can make a difference.

 

[Peter]

it has been picked out. I posted about it on the 11th

http://www.namepros.com/domain-name-discussion/360284-opposed-to-domain-tasting-read-this.html

 

[Mike]

added the response to the "older" thread.

 

[kwan]

it has been picked out. I posted about it on the 11th

http://www.namepros.com/domain-name-discussion/360284-opposed-to-domain-tasting-read-this.html

Thanks Peter. I was surprised no one mentioned it. I must have missed it.