For Sale Are you for or Against WLS

[DomainGoon]

Originally posted by Nexus


First come first serve. In all honesty, how the drop-game even works today, WLS just moves the clock so that people aren't staring at it every day.

The drop game today is not first come first serve. Not even close. It's high bidder takes all. That's the way it works and that's the way most any other industry works.

 

[Nexus]

No, its "first-come-first-serve". Whoever is the FIRST to register the name after it is deleted from the system is the FIRST to get it. It's not even close to "high bidder takes all" by a long shot. Do you think the owner of Native.com was the highest bidder? Go check.

~ Nexus

 

[hiOsilver]

Domain names, until registered, are a public asset. They belong to no one. They should not be going to the highest bidder.

 

[DomainGoon]

Originally posted by hiOsilver
Domain names, until registered, are a public asset. They belong to no one. They should not be going to the highest bidder.

If they are a "public asset" then why should anyone be allowed to register them at all?

Radio frequencies are auctioned off by governments all the time.

You may argue that the money goes to someone else in that case, but how can you argue there should be no auction at all?

 

[hiOsilver]

Originally posted by DomainGoon


If they are a "public asset" then why should anyone be allowed to register them at all?

Radio frequencies are auctioned off by governments all the time.

You may argue that the money goes to someone else in that case, but how can you argue there should be no auction at all?

In the case of radio frequencies, the auction proceeds don't go to FrequencyPool.com or FrequencyWinner.com. The proceeds go the government.

As for your rhetorical question ". . . then why should anyone be allowed to register them at all?" Do you not see the benefit to the public in having an Internet and a system of names that makes it easy to locate, distinguish, and remember sites?

The idea that the unregistered names are the property of the registrars is only popular with the registrars or their associates (like Pool).

 

[DomainGoon]

Originally posted by hiOsilver


In the case of radio frequencies, the auction proceeds go to FrequencyPool.com or FrequencyWinner.com. The proceeds go the government.

As for your rhetorical question ". . . then why should anyone be allowed to register them at all?" Do you not see the benefit to the public in having an Internet and a system of names that makes it easy to locate, distinguish, and remember sites?

The idea that the unregistered names are the property of the registrars is only popular with the registrars or their associates (like Pool).

You said, in your original post, that there shouldn't be going to the highest bidder. Now you're talking about who the profits in radio auctions go to.

So, are you against selling "public assets" to the highest bidder or are you just against the specific way it's being done with domains?

Would you have a problem with domain auctions if the money went to ICANN?

 

[Nexus]

Originally posted by DomainGoon
Would you have a problem with domain auctions if the money went to ICANN?

I was actually going to bring that point up a couple of posts ago. Government auctions are a great resource and in theory the money goes back to the public domain (where it gets diverted from there is up to our representatives).

I think my biggest problem with the current system is that the consumer is relatively unprotected, and never assured any promise of service (under any circumstance), while not even having convenient access to reliable statistics on past performance. In a nutshell, there is a distinct and growing lack of accountability.

If WLS was an auction system, it might be less accessible for some, but I feel it would be more accountable. I'd much prefer a system similar to the current registration process though. Why train the public twice?

~ Nexus

 

[hiOsilver]

Originally posted by DomainGoon


You said, in your original post, that there shouldn't be going to the highest bidder. Now you're talking about who the profits in radio auctions go to.

So, are you against selling "public assets" to the highest bidder or are you just against the specific way it's being done with domains?

Would you have a problem with domain auctions if the money went to ICANN?

Well, we are getting into some interesting philosophical questions. If ICANN were funding something for the benefit of the entire world (in a really huge way, like ending world hunger or fostering world peace), perhaps I would be in favor of that.

My main point, which you seemed to miss or chose to dodge, is that the current system, especially with regards to the most valuable names, puts the auction profits in the hands of the registrars & their associates (Pool, DropWizard, etc). No way, no how can I philosophically say that that is a good thing.

Since the fat money should not be going to the registrars, in my opinion, and since it is not going for some greater good (world peace), then it should be available to the maximum number of people who are interested. Dropping domains should go to

1. people who want a particular domain for their own use
2. people who invest in domains

And, I do not mean to a select few people who have invested the time to figure out some arcane rules about how 73 different registrars and/or drop services can give them the maximum chance of scoring the winners.

The imminent and critical issue is: How will the WLS subscriptions be made available?

It looks like we should be finding the answers to that question very soon.