CircleID

If you read the notice carefully, you will observe that Nominet intends not to limit the "number" of domains that can be tasted, but to limit the "proportion" of domains that can be tasted relative to those registered.

The upshot is that large registrars with a significant baseline of naturally-ocurring end-user registrations will be able to "taste" a greater number of domains per month than smaller registrars.

This, like many other policy measures, will not eliminate the practice as much as it will make sure that only the "right people" can do it to any significant degree.

Even if those registrars don't have a tasting business, perhaps they would lease "tasting threads" to others who do make a business in it then.

"Tasting threads" - that's a great way to look at it Ram.

In order to distribute the tasting load, you basically then have each registrar count 19 end-user registrations, and then draw a string from the input tasting stack on every 20th end-user registration, so that the deletion rate is guaranteed to stay below 5%.

What's the average daily baseline registration rate in .co.uk?

It's all game theory.  Domain tasting these days seems to be in a stage of early? advanced?? arbitrage.

.. and action against abusive tasting seems to be in a very early stage now.  Well, it'll grow, and fast.

My compliments to Nominet.