[LINK] What's in a (domain) name?

[Eric Scheid]

From: Irene Graham <rene@libertus.net> (17/11/00 4:50 PM)
>While it can be moved, the point remains, why should it have to be simply
>because of silly policies in the .au (or any other) space.

perhaps to respect the rights or privileges given to others in the same 
namespace who have to jump through many more hoops to even be there.

I have a business. It's my living. I am obliged to pay tax, workers comp, 
this, that, and everything else; plus fill in a zillions forms. All these 
are obligations to my community/society (although I am doubtful of some 
of their intended benefits being realised).

I can however rely on the cachet of saying I am a registered company. If 
someone is unsure as to whether I'm a scam-and-run operation with 
business cards knocked up at Kinkos just yesterday then they can check up 
on me. I may still be shonky (I'm not), but at least I won't be elusive.

There's a fellow that seems to be perennially stuck in Sydney ... he'll 
hail you from the street, explain in broken english that he's an 
international rep from Gucci/Pierre Cardin/InsertBrandHere, he's finished 
his meetings here, and he wants to offload some samples (which he can't 
officially sell due to the conditions they were imported under - ie. they 
are samples, not import for sale). He's real, I met him. I've also got an 
original fax from Dr Mrs Maryam Abacha :-)

Should he be allowed to go register whatever name he wants in the same 
space that reputable businesses register their names? There are reasons 
why business name registration is required after all.

Now, if he wanted to register a domain name in a space which is clearly 
positioned in the public mind as "any darn name I want because I'm not a 
real business" then I've got no problem. I won't be buying suits from him 
though, just the same as I don't buy suits from a geocities website.

Allowing free-for-all registrations into the com.au name space would 
irreparably harm two constituencies: legitimate businesses (who will have 
to find some other way to represent their legitimacy), and the public as 
consumers (who expect certain rights of disclosure from who they buy 
from).

e.
(who hasn't actually worn a suit for many years, 
 nor does business with Nigerian Doctors with sackfuls of cash)

______________________________________________________________________
eric@ironclad.net.au                 i r o n c l a d   n e t w o r k s
information designer                       http://www.ironclad.net.au/