April 29
A storm in a teacup?
Back to business after a few days of vacation ...
There are over a year now, the decree of February 6, 2007 on the allocation and management of domain names has spilled much ink. Following this little thunder, we reinvented in a worst scenario. FR run by evil aliens with long teeth. The realists were content to note that trees do not grow in the sky and the AFNIC ultimately remain sole master on board with playing virtually unchanged. Although I think a breath of fresh air would not hurt the industry, I am rather of the second school, as I could explain it or there.
But this is more speculation, it is the taking of speech and action. Indeed, the Ministry of Economy, Industry and Employment Friday launched a public consultation on the modalities of management. FR and extensions of overseas The stated aim: "to collect the view all players in the Internet community to help define the modalities of managing Internet domains covered by Article L.45 of the Code of Posts and Telecommunications (CPCE) and its implementing Decree 2007 -- 162: ". fr,. gf '". gp ",". mq ",". re' ". pm,". wf ",". yt ",". tf "[.. .] as well as future areas ". bl (Saint Barthelemy) and". mf (Saint Martin).
Remember then: everyone can respond to this consultation. This is important. But to answer what, exactly? A series of 25 questions on the rules for managing extensions mentioned above, which is a part. FR (without wishing to devalue the other extensions). Examples:
- What do you think are the factors of attractiveness ". Com" compared to other areas of Internet top-level (including the new domain. Eu or the generic ". Com,. Org", etc. .)? What are instead factors limiting its interest?
- What are the advantages and disadvantages of extending the eligibility criteria ". Fr" beyond the few established players in France, including the European players?
- What advantages or disadvantages do you see the introduction of other extensions corresponding to sub-parts of the metropolitan area ( ". Bzh ','. Paris, etc..)?
A whole program! The PDF form is complete downloadable here.
Once the responses received (deadline for return of form: June 24, 2008), will be made public "the summary results of this consultation and the first guidelines it adopts for the implementation of Decree 2007-162 '. Then comes the famous phase calls for nominations for the role of registry and the true-false suspense about the outcome of history.
Let there be no mistake, there will be no revolution in the world of domain names. However, I think it is important that as many Internet players - from top to bottom of the value chain - enjoy the right word given to them to make their voices heard. I think the registrars, professionals second market to specialize in online advertising and Internet users in general.
Why? Firstly because it is a matter of public interest. In terms of pricing policy for example, a difference of a few euros in the "wholesale price" (the price at which sold a record. Com providers or registrars that they then push up to release their margin) may have consequences notorious in terms of accessibility. Then, because the absent are always wrong and that if one or two forms only ended on the Minister's office, they may weigh more than people think. Finally, because there is a real issue and that in a market still relatively marginal forces might tend to be uneven. For there are those who know what it returns and those who know less.
One can thus imagine that the AFNIC has already put in place - and it is legitimate - a small lobbying campaign in the middle "ruler". While also suggests that the legal community "old school" who thinks that "there are rules for resolving disputes concerning domain names since the dawn of time", will also form a coalition 's ensure peaceful years before a well deserved retirement. Registrars specialized in issues of trademark protection there will also probably their grain of salt: they are clearly in a situation favorable to them because we often talk about them as domain names themselves, ultimately. Webmasters, if it came out in numbers sufficiently representative, especially should grow on the tariff issue because without them always aware, domain names are their stock in trade (they will tell you that it is their sites, but they must be areas for turning). And then there are French or French-speaking domainers, who after working in their corner (in the shade?) For years, love to come together in recent months.
And I think that that community should be subject to speak on the issue, since it is at the heart of the system for years. It is a formula that I use frequently: the secondary market offers a breathtaking view of the first. If domainers professionals all have a visionary, some of them have more reading ultra-insightful world of the Internet. But have not always had the opportunity to make the contribution so far is because we do not ask them their opinion, or he had nowhere to express themselves, or they have even been marginalized. There is no question of sending to the Minister for sounding stories to Rick Schwarz, it is subject to express her vision of the domain name. In this case, an asset whose value far exceeds that of a row in a database of records.
It's all the French namespace that has everything to gain from this story, then your pen / keyboard to your - and hope that our forms are piled up on desks Street Villiot!
