Make sure to voice your opinion AGAINST dot Mail

[izopod]

I happened to come across an interesting story this morning on MSNBC.com about the new dot .mail application.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4694684/

After reading the article I am DEFINITELY not in favor of their application. It will become a nightmare if approved. Here is just a few reasons why

1. Apparently only .com, .net, .org owners will be able to apply for this name:

>>>>>For starters, only owners of the corresponding .com sites could pick up .mail sites -- in other words, only msnbc.com could control msnbc.com.mail<<<<<

My response: Talk about anti-competitive practices!!!! What if I run a successful .dot biz company and would like to use the .mail name???

2. $2K for registration---enough said

3. Apparently the group that is applying for this domain feels that their "system" will make sure spammers can't use dot com/net/org email addresses to spam anymore. The danger is if the "dot mail" system becomes popular with regular business as a way to rid the system of junk mail, then anyone legitimate NOT using a dot mail domain would get their legitimate email communication sent to the trash bin.

>>>>And when the system reached critical mass, e-mail users could largely ignore most e-mail that came from .com and .net domains.<<<

My Response: I will be the leading "Anti-dot-mail" advocate out there. In fact check out my new signature....

5. I see Mr Ambler from Image Online Design helped draft the plan for dot mail (see msnbc article above). Hey, how is the dot web re-application going???

[izopod]

If you want to comment FOR or AGAINST dot mail, you can write to icann. stld-rfp-general@icann.org. If you are going to comment do it soon. I think they are only allowing comments for a short period of time.

Here is what I just sent in:

Fellow Netizens,

Of all the top level domain applications being proposed, I fear this one the most. Allowing a group of people to create a monopoly over our email system in the name of getting rid of SPAM is NOT a good thing.

It's sad, but my guess is this application is already a done deal by the "early" publicity it's getting. My only hope is enough people will come to their senses and realize that no one person or group should be able to influence our email network in such a way. I suggest you read up on their plans:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/4694684/

The part I don't like about their whole plan is that if this TLD "works" you will almost be forced to buy a name from them just to conduct business. Again, that is NOT good.

The most disturbing quote from the MSNBC article:

>>>>And when the system reached critical mass, e-mail users could largely ignore most e-mail that came from .com and .net domains.<<<

Hey, what if I own a dot biz company, can get I get my own dot mail address? Apparently not. Again another direct quote from the article:

>>>>>For starters, only owners of the corresponding .com sites could pick up .mail sites -- in other words, only msnbc.com could control msnbc.com.mail<<<<<


Vote "NO" on dot mail. This is a trojan horse if I ever saw one. One ironic thing to think about is can you imagine the amount of "email" you'd probably get from this company promoting their services if you did buy a name from them?

Wake up everyone!!! The way to deal with SPAM is not by limiting our choices. The way to deal with SPAM is to educate people, not by "instituting" measures that will make all our lives "better". The day I buy the argument that someone has a "fool proof" plan to rid the internet of spam, is the day I close up shop and get a day job.


Gregory W. Krajewski
Anywhere.biz

[mole]

[b]The day I buy the argument that someone has a "fool proof" plan to rid the internet of spam, is the day I close up shop and get a day job.

You mean you don't have a day job, pod?

.mail is nothing more than a verification system, not a domain name in the real sense of the word.

But I do agree that they should not discriminate .INFO and .BIZ where this is concerned.

[izopod]

.mail is nothing more than a verification system, not a domain name in the real sense of the word.

The question that I bring up Mole is do you really want one company to control this email "verification system".

btw, I disagree. This is a top level domain that if it proves to be popular would force you to buy one so your mail doesn't get rejected. Again, this is not the right way to go.

[Banned: lopramine45]

izopod hit it on the head there

[mole]

.mail is a stld

Firstly, you can't promote the .mail domain. It's supposed to be invisible.

Second, its for use by bulk email companies, costs $2k a pop, so its not a mainstream domain for the average Joe.

Life still goes on and you can still send email like before, except that now if you want to send bulk email, there is now an option for reputable companies to avoid being canned unnecessary.

Any initiative to stop the increasing barrage of spam is only go for the Internet community.

Pod, I think you've chosen the wrong bird to feather.

[izopod]

Any initiative to stop the increasing barrage of spam is only go for the Internet community.

You must have a lot of faith in the people applying for these sTLDs. I don't. Especially this particular sponsored domain. It would make it very easy for eBay, Microsoft to jump on board since they would have first crack at their own dot mail domains, including Amazon.

Have you really thought about an email system whereby someday ISPs automatically purge dot com/.biz/.org email addresses in favor of a ".mail" sTLD? I don't think you have, otherwise you'd see my point.

btw: There will be other "anti-spam" methods that come along Mole. Trust me. Whoever comes up with the "perfect" solution will reap in billions of dollars. There are many companies out there devising a solution right now. I don't think .mail is the solution because it takes away choices from legimitate business owners. This is more of a "socialistic" type solution which as a capitalist abhor.

[izopod]

Apparently ICANN has blocked my email to send any more comments on dot mail, so I will just post here what I was going to send to them.

The heading was "More Reasons Not To Approve Dot Mail"

Here are my reasons listed numerically:

1. Is dot .mail really a sTLD (Sponsored TLD)? I don't think so and therefore should not even be considered on this premise alone. Since almost anyone with $2K and who has had a stable URL address for at least 6 months can apply for the domain. I don't see this "group" as a precisely defined community described below. No, when I think of a Sponsored TLD, I think of dot travel, dot union, etc. I Here is ICANN's definition:

A. Definition of Sponsored TLD Community

The proposed sTLD must address the needs and interests of a clearly defined community (the Sponsored TLD Community), which can benefit from the establishment of a TLD operating in a policy formulation environment in which the community would participate.

Applicants must demonstrate that the Sponsored TLD Community is:

Precisely defined, so it can readily be determined which persons or entities make up that community; and
Comprised of persons that have needs and interests in common but which are differentiated from those of the general global Internet community.

2. The cost of the domain: $2K. Although I've read on other venues the prices for a dot email domain would drop in time for the "average joe". As a student of logic I don't see this happening (in my humble opinion). The reason for the high cost in the first place is to make it prohibitive for spammers to buy unlimited dot Mail URL addresses. Wouldn't dropping the price then make it "easy" for spammers to buy many more addresses. Duh!! Therefore, I don't see the price dropping from $2K, which would hurt small business.

3. If ICANN does approve dot mail, the news outlet's would bill this as "the cure" to prevent spam. If I am correct dot mail would only "slow" the rate of spam, which is a good thing, just not the right solution. The problem I have is that when the first time someone gets a "Viagra" email from a dot .mail address (which would almost certainly occur) would cause "trust" issues. Here is another scenario: What happens the first time a "spammer" does get through a spam letter that fools someone into giving them money...especially if they opening the email "knowing" dot mail is good based on the $2K price/vetting process. How will ICANN cover themselves? Afterall they would be giving their "seal" on the name if approved. Same thing with the registrar? Will the cost of insurance be prohibitive... Or is there not a problem?? It's possible the registar could make the "spammers" responsible, but it would probably be difficult finding "spammer x" to sue them for damages.

My point: The danger is if we did reach critical mass with dot mail and "spammers" find a way to get through the "vetting" process enmasse, how would you recover?? If you use a software solution which I recommend to curb spam, you'd simply key on certain addresses, etc to stop the spam. With dot mail, your stuck with it. URL addresses are difficult to change, especially if ISP's tweak their email servers in large groups. Again, this is why I think this idea is wrong.

I do think the people submitting this application deserve their chance to be heard, don't get me wrong, but certainly all the issues I've brought up so far should be some cause for concern.

Thank you for listening,

Gregory W. Krajewski
Anywhere.biz