[Rubber Duck]

Nice article but I felt compelled to send an email to the Guardian on this:

Hi,

Thanks for a very interesting article. I am actually a founding member of an online Forum for speculators in IDN, one whose main aims is provide as much information as possible on IDN and their implementation. This forum can be found at idnforums.com.

I have to say that on the whole the article is well researched, but as with anything there are flaws. Nobody is proposing that anyone should be forced to register any particular extension. Verisign, however, whether you love them or loath effectively created the name system as we now know it. There have created a global brand in dot com that extends into every culture on Earth. Anyone is free to apply to start a registry in any language or multiple languages that provide a distincitive internet address. The only possible reason for others wishing to mimic the dot Com extension is to take unfair commercial advantage by high-jacking someone elses brand. The truth is even if they are successful in doing this, it won't make a blind bit of difference, as any arbituary representation can be adopted for dot Com and people will soon become aware of what it represents. It is power of the brand and what it represents, rather than the representation itself that is so valuable. I believe Verisign should be allowed to choose within reason, how they represent their own brand internationally, but even if they are not, the success that is attached to the dot com brand will rest with Verisign.

Furthermore, it should be noted that whilst other organisations have often fallen by the wayside Verisign has been a staunch supporter of the IDN concept from day one. I feel that they deserve a little recognition for that, as without that support the whole project may well have been abandoned by now.

Best Regards
Dave Wrixon

Indepedent domain trader