CircleID

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Fair Notice and Applying for a New gTLD

• Comment posted Nov 01, 2011 5:57 pm PDT — by R. Shawn Gunnarson
  I agree, Jothan. The time pressure you describe is not improved by the uncertainty that continues to linger around the question of batching applications. Kurt Pritz did a good job of explaining the current thinking on this topic in a…

Concerns About ICANN's Bylaws Shouldn't Bog Down Board/GAC Discussions

• Comment posted Mar 14, 2011 1:40 pm PDT — by R. Shawn Gunnarson
  I'm glad we agree, Kieren. Let's hope this week's talks are as productive as everyone hopes. Best, Shawn

• Comment posted Mar 13, 2011 2:47 pm PDT — by R. Shawn Gunnarson
  I'm glad you enjoyed the piece, Antony. Your point is an interesting one, though it is somewhat hard for me to see the practical difference between the bylaws-mandated process of seeking a "mutually acceptable solution" for the differences between the…

New gTLDs and Their Hidden Costs: Part 1

• Comment posted Aug 11, 2010 2:13 pm PDT — by R. Shawn Gunnarson
  I agree that it makes sense to explain why an influx of new-found money without a plan for handling it is crucial and that cautionary examples can be powerful tools for raising awareness and avoiding others' mistakes.  I'll see what…

New gTLDs and Their Hidden Costs: Part 2

• Comment posted Aug 07, 2010 2:01 pm PDT — by R. Shawn Gunnarson
  Paul raises interesting points about the competitive advantage of owning new gTLDs, but I can't agree because there's no way to tell how the introduction of new gTLDs will affect brand value or sales or anything else.  We just don't…

New gTLDs and Their Hidden Costs: Part 1

• Comment posted Aug 06, 2010 3:01 pm PDT — by R. Shawn Gunnarson
  I'm glad to hear we agree about something, Kieren.  Large sums of money can distort an organization, especially when the disparity between the new-found wealth and previous budgets is high.  It isn't just that the number of dollars from the…

• Comment posted Aug 06, 2010 2:45 pm PDT — by R. Shawn Gunnarson
  For many competitive applications you could be right.  Competition for certain strings can be compromised, or a would-be competitor can be persuaded with enough cash and incentives to give up the fight.  What concerns me is the problem of zero-sum…

For ICANN, a New Path Toward an Old Goal

• Comment posted Jun 03, 2010 4:08 pm PDT — by R. Shawn Gunnarson
  Good questions, Michael.  ICANN's legal home would remain in California and its legal form would remain a public benefit not-for-profit corporation.  Directors would not surrender their fiduciary responsibilities: they would be legally bound to them.  Chief among those responsibilities would…

• Comment posted Jun 02, 2010 8:22 pm PDT — by R. Shawn Gunnarson
  Brevity itself, George.  But please explain why CPI rather than ICANN's actual cost in carrying out its core mission is the right benchmark.  ICANN's mission creep and its expanding budgets are directly related; the paper suggests that narrowing and hardening…

• Comment posted Jun 02, 2010 8:04 pm PDT — by R. Shawn Gunnarson
  You're right that ICANN has been spending more than its core mission justifies.  That's one of the points I argue in the paper.  Ten percent might not be enough, but it would have prevented the tripling of ICANN's annual budget…

Getting a Handle on IDNs

• Comment posted Oct 22, 2009 2:39 pm PDT — by R. Shawn Gunnarson
  And I'm sorry that a self-appointed expert like you feels the need to flame anyone who dares to speak on his favorite subject.

• Comment posted Oct 22, 2009 1:39 pm PDT — by R. Shawn Gunnarson
  My, my.  Someone's in a foul temper this morning.  Setting aside your name-calling and abuse, let's think about what you've said rather than shout about it. I did not suggest that ICANN hasn't been pursuing these matters.  I merely raised…

When It Comes to gTLDs, Follow the Money (Part 2)

• Comment posted Aug 05, 2009 8:14 pm PDT — by R. Shawn Gunnarson
  Kieren, You may be exaggerating how far we agree, so let me restate my central points and your responses, as I understand them. I argue that that ICANN probably will receive a lot more money--millions of dollars more--than the actual…

When It Comes to gTLDs, Follow the Money (Part 1)

• Comment posted Aug 04, 2009 4:07 pm PDT — by R. Shawn Gunnarson
  Kieren, I sincerely appreciate your explanation. You rightly identify as my chief concern the problem of what a large windfall could mean to ICANN as an institution and to internet governance in general. I have more things to say about…

• Comment posted Aug 03, 2009 8:58 pm PDT — by R. Shawn Gunnarson
  Kieren, Thank you for your reply. It's nice to know that the people at ICANN are listening. You say that the gTLD process is filled with uncertainties, but uncertainty comes in different forms. Although the number of applications that will…

Extending the JPA is the Right Thing to Do

• Comment posted Jun 24, 2009 5:27 pm PDT — by R. Shawn Gunnarson
  Mr Watson: Thank you for your thoughtful commentary and questions. First, I agree that the United States can improve in its oversight of ICANN. Given the curious legal framework on which its relationship with ICANN is built, however, it's difficult…

How is ICANN Spending Your Money?

• Comment posted Jun 22, 2009 2:11 pm PDT — by R. Shawn Gunnarson
  Let me suggest that the salaries of ICANN's staff members matter for political reasons and not just because they seem high for a nonprofit corporation, per se. ICANN wants to break free of the supervisory relationship that the U.S. government…