Subject: Fwd: Name.Space and .NYC , comments to ICANN Date: Mon, 25 Aug 2003 12:45:08 -0400 To: lp_manhattan , From: Bob Armstrong I first got this message from my friend Paul Garrin Tuesday but seeing a deadline of today put off looking into it until today= . It is on the front edge of Intellectual Property creation and the croney state monopoly politics which define it and assign initial ownership . Paul has been a true pioneer in this arena and has , as he documents , homesteaded the root domain names he wants recognized . I think Paul's situation may also be attractive to anyone who may be interested in a speculative investment to gain these properties whose recently recognized value is bringing the matters to a head . Note , I am quite happy just owning "CoSy.com" and have no plans to register alternative roots . And anybody who's been around me a lot knows I get called "CoSyBob" rather than "BobCoSy" . --- Original Message --- From: info@namespace.org To: Bob Cosy Cc: Sent: Fri, 22 Aug 2003 18:09:27 -0400 Subject: Reminder: Support Name.Space and .NYC with your comments= to ICANN > >=A0Dear Bob, > >=A0Please support Name.Space and it's application to ICANN for= acceptance >=A0and recognition of the new domain name extensions it publishes= and operates >=A0since 1996 by sending your comments to ICANN by Monday, August= 25, 2003. > >=A0What is ICANN? =A0That stands for the "Internet Corporation for= Assigned >=A0Names and Numbers", an organization contracted by the U.S.= Department of >=A0Commerce in 1998 to oversee the Internet's Domain Name System,= and to create >=A0a process for expanding the number and scope of so-called "Top= Level Domains" >=A0(that part of the internet address to the right of the DOT as= in ".COM", >=A0".ORG", ".NET", etc.) commonly abbreviated in net-lingo as= "TLDs". > >=A0What is Name.Space? =A0Name.Space is a project that I founded in= 1996 >=A0whose mission is to publish and operate an expanded number of= TLD's >=A0beyond .COM, to include more descriptive and expressive domains= such as >=A0".ART", ".POLITICS", and ".SUCKS", that empower users to= express their >=A0views, areas of practice, and freedom of speech through= functional >=A0internet domain name addresses, and to raise funds to support= a >=A0non-commercial infrastructure to preserve arts, culture,= community >=A0and localism in this age of encroaching corporate and= commercial control >=A0over the internet and media in general. =A0Such Top Level Domains= exist, >=A0and have since 1996, but are in isolation as they are not= included in >=A0the master database that includes the familiar domains like= .COM, which >=A0enables them to be used and accessed equally by everyone on the= Internet. > >=A0In 1997 Name.Space sought recognition of the TLDs it publishes= and >=A0operates through an antitrust action against then-monopoly= Network >=A0Solutions, Inc. =A0The lawsuit was based on the successful= antitrust >=A0suit that MCI filed against then-monopoly ATT, which resulted= in the >=A0breakup of the telephone company monopoly, bringing competitive= phone >=A0rates to consumers. =A0Name.Space v. Network Solutions was= successful >=A0in breaking up the monopoly and lowering domain registration= prices, >=A0but Network Solutions was given a special case of immunity by= the US >=A0courts, causing the TLDs published by Name.Space to remain= inaccessable >=A0to the majority of internet users. > >=A0In the fall of 2000, Name.Space applied to ICANN for= recognition of >=A0118 of its most popular and in-demand Top Level Domains, paying= a non- >=A0refundable application fee of $50,000. =A0ICANN responded by= rejecting >=A0Name.Space's request, absconding with the $50,000 fee, and= "assigning" >=A0three of Name.Space's TLD's (.INFO, .PRO, .MUSEUM) to its= corporate >=A0competition who already enjoyed market dominance in the domain= field. >=A0The loss of the $50,000 and rejection by ICANN nearly drove= Name.Space >=A0out of business; its operations survived to date on a= diminishing subscriber >=A0base and on what was left of my own personal savings. =A0I have= received >=A0no compensation for my work over the past 7 years, and have= spent my >=A0own limited funds to keep the project alive. > >=A0This fall, 2003, ICANN will review applications for a special= category >=A0of Top Level Domains that it calls "sponsored", which means= that an >=A0organization or interest group can pay a non-refundable= application fee >=A0of $25,000 for up to 3 TLD's that represent their special= interest, >=A0with the right to set the policies and rules for the TLD's it= sponsors. >=A0In addition, ICANN seeks to limit the applicants to those who= applied >=A0for "sponsored" TLDs in the year 2000 round and who were turned= down. >=A0Name.Space did not technically apply for "sponsored" TLDs= per-se >=A0according to ICANN's definition, but did in effect do so since= Name.Space >=A0applied on behalf of its subscribers, many of them from within= the >=A0non-commercial arts and culture realm who did not have the= means, the >=A0knowledge nor the expertise necessary to apply or even operate= a TLD >=A0registry on their own. =A0By their definition of "sponsored",= ICANN seeks >=A0to disqualify Name.Space from applying for any TLDs in this= round, and >=A0this is where we need your advocacy by sending your comments to= ICANN by >=A0Monday August 25, 2003 deadline. > >=A0The agenda: > >=A0One of the TLDs that Name.Space applied for in 2000 was ".NYC",= first >=A0published by Name.Space and in operation since 1996. A= concerted effort >=A0is now underway by New York City's cultural and educational= institutions, >=A0businesses, government, and people to make the TLD ".NYC" a= reality. >=A0As part of its renewal New York City will oversee =A0this grand= experiment on >=A0how best to use sponsored TLDs for cities. =A0Name.Space has= recommended that >=A0the registration fees for ".NYC" be applied toward funding New= York City's >=A0under-funded Public Schools, and to mitigate the so-called= "Digital Divide" >=A0by bringing low-cost internet services to poor and under-served= communities. >=A0In order to maximize the fundraising potential of ".NYC", a set= of highly- >=A0generic domains that serve commercial purposes will be= auctioned to the >=A0highest bidder. =A0Such commercial domains for auction include: > >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0Hotels.NYC >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0Tickets.NYC >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0Sports.NYC >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0Tours.NYC >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0Music.NYC >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0OfficeSpace.NYC >=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0(and others to be determined) > >=A0Other more-specific domain names such as BOBCOSY.NYC and >=A0COSY.NYC will be available on a first-come >=A0first-served basis at a nominal rate of $30 per year. =A0Out of= that fee, >=A0$6.00 (the industry standard registry administrative fee) goes= to Name.Space >=A0to cover registry operations expenses and the remainder will= flow into a >=A0fund for New York City's Public Schools and possibly New York's= Commission >=A0on Public Information &=A0Communication (COPIC) which plays an= important role >=A0in moderating the life and death Fire-Police communications= coordination >=A0disputes between the departments. > > >=A0On April 19, 2001 Queens Community Board 3 passed the "Internet= Empowerment >=A0Resolution on ".NYC" and has since presented it to the NY City= Council, but >=A0the events of September 11, 2001 slowed the process as the City= focused on >=A0healing itself from the destructive and tragic events that took= place on that >=A0day. =A0Most recently New York's top officials have taken note of= the importance >=A0and potential of the ".NYC" domain and have expressed interest= in gaining global >=A0recognition for it through application to ICANN. On Tuesday,= August 19, >=A0Public Advocate Betsy Gottbaum wrote a letter to Mayor= Bloomberg expressing >=A0interest in pursuing ".NYC" by applying to ICANN this fall.= =A0Since the City >=A0of New York did not previously apply to ICANN, ICANN would have= to make a >=A0special exception to allow the application. =A0Since Name.Space= is the >=A0initial publisher of ".NYC", and was a prior applicant to ICANN= in 2000, >=A0we are in a position to apply as a sponsor of ".NYC" on behalf= of the >=A0City of New York, and as founding publisher and operator of the= ".NYC" domain. >=A0In addition to being a prior applicant to ICANN for ".NYC",= Name.Space >=A0already has ".NYC" in operation and is in a position to offer= its >=A0services immediately, without the need to create the support= system >=A0necessary for the registry operations for the domain.= =A0Name.Space has >=A0more than 7 years of experience in operating a Top Level Domain= registry >=A0and has demonstrated its expertise in this realm by maintaing= continuous >=A0and uninterrupted operations of its TLDs during the entire 7= years of >=A0our existance. > >=A0What can you do? > >=A01) =A0Please write your comments to ICANN, reqesting that they= accept the >=A0=A0=A0"Sponsored TLD Application" for ".NYC" from Name.Space, on= behalf of >=A0=A0=A0New York City and its Citizens. =A0Name.Space will donate the= ".NYC" TLD >=A0=A0=A0to New York City in exchange for acceptance and status as= operator of >=A0=A0=A0the registry services for ".NYC". Please send your comments= to ICANN >=A0=A0=A0via email to =A0and CC them to: > >=A0=A0=A0Yoni Appelbaum >=A0=A0=A0Executive Assistant to the Public Advocate >=A0=A0=A0Office of Public Advocate Betsy Gotbaum >=A0=A0=A0 > >=A0=A0=A0Joe Perello >=A0=A0=A0Director >=A0=A0=A0NYC Office of Marketing >=A0=A0=A0 > >=A0=A0=A0Name.Space >=A0=A0=A0 > >=A02) =A0Help us raise the $25,000 application fee, and cover our= expenses by >=A0=A0=A0registering BOBCOSY.NYC and/or COSY.NYC >=A0=A0=A0for the nominal fee of only $30.00 each, by going to >=A0=A0=A0https://secure.name-space.com/registry >=A0=A0=A0We only need 1,500-2000 registrations to help cover our costs= of >=A0=A0=A0the application fee, its preparation, and attendance of the= ICANN >=A0=A0=A0meeting where applicants will present their proposals this= fall. > >=A0So please, don't wait--send your comments to ICANN today and= don't >=A0miss the deadline of Monday, August 25, 2003! =A0Become a pioneer= in >=A0Internet history, and help in the revitalization of New York= City, its >=A0Public Schools and civic communications= infrastructure--register >=A0BOBCOSY.NYC today. =A0You can begin by searching for BOBCOSY.NYC >=A0http://namespace.org/cgi-bin/whois.pl?whois=3DBOBCOSY.NYC > >=A0Please forward this email to everyone you know who resides in= NYC >=A0and beyond and ask them to support our efforts to make ".NYC" a= global reality. > >=A0Thank you for your support. > >=A0Sincerely, > >=A0Paul Garrin >=A0Founder >=A0Name.Space, Inc. > >=A0---------------------------------------------------------------= ----------------- >=A0Links and background information: > >=A0Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN): >=A0http://www.icann.org >=A0http://forum.icann.org/mtg-cmts/stld-rfp-comments/general/index= .html > >=A0Name.Space: >=A0http://namespace.org >=A0http://namespace.org/law >=A0http://namespace.org/policy >=A0http://villagevoice.com/issues/0114/ferguson.php >=A0http://www.edventure.com/conversation/article.cfm?counter=3D22355= 30 >=A0http://namespace.org/policy/senate.20010214.shtml >=A0http://namespace.org/policy/house.20010208.shtml >=A0http://petition.name.space.xs2.net/ >=A0http://namespace.org/statement/ >=A0http://namespace.org/gTLDs_req/ >=A0http://namespace.org/comment > >=A0Internet Empowerment Resolution on .NYC: >=A0http://www.community-boards.wego.net/?p=3D33828 =09 --=A0 =A0Bob Armstrong -- http://CoSy.com -- 212-285-1864 Pix of Armstrong CO miniRanch : http://cosy.com/home.htm Computing Environment : =A0http://cosy.com/K/CoSy.htm=A0 A WTC vision : http://cosy.com/CoSy/ConicAllConnect/ Liberty : http://cosy.com/Liberty.htm =A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A0=A08/25/2003 12:04:35 PM