ietf
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: IAB Statement on Dotless Domains

2013-07-14 22:14:43
On 07/12/2013 02:40 PM, John R Levine wrote:

Point your browser at http://dk/ or http://tm/ and see what happens.

As John points out, the ccTLDs are already doing this. ICANN has no authority to tell the ccTLDs NOT to do it, thus restricting the gTLDs from doing it (via their contract with ICANN) would arguably be "unfair" in any number of parameters, including (possibly) legal ones.

It is unarguably true that as things currently stand there will be "problems" with dotless domains. How widespread, and how serious those problems become is yet to be seen. However it is also unarguably true that if there is sufficient market demand for dotless domains the software folks, at both the OS and application levels, will make them work. [1]

So either this is a good idea that will gain traction, and therefore appropriate software support; or it is a bad idea that will go away on its own. Either way, making a fuss about the hoofprints after the horse has already left the barn doesn't help the situation.

Doug

[1] http://publicsuffix.org/ (for an arguably pathological definition of something that "works" in this space)