BBC report ICANN technically challenged

[scotty]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6099370.stm

[Rubber Duck]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/6099370.stm

Are you some kind of archeologist?

[Asiaplay]

It is a pity that as the solution has become all too clear & a workable solution has been found (and not a technically difficult one really) - that we still see stupid news articles like this one appearing.

Just suggests to me, that the BCC columnist is either "mentally challenged" or too lazy to do their background field work prior to writing an article.

Cheers - Asiaplay

[Rubber Duck]

To be fair to the BBC this article is a year old. It is the level of research on here that is lamentable!

It is a pity that as the solution has become all too clear & a workable solution has been found (and not a technically difficult one really) - that we still see stupid news articles like this one appearing.

Just suggests to me, that the BCC columnist is either "mentally challenged" or too lazy to do their background field work prior to writing an article.

Cheers - Asiaplay

[Asiaplay]

To be fair to the BBC this article is a year old. It is the level of research on here that is lamentable!

:) nothing like history repeating haha... but to be honest even a year ago... this is not a sensible or informed comment really (but who cares I guess - IDNs will hit the root, no matter what news is published)... cheers, Asiaplay

[bwhhisc]

It is a pity that as the solution has become all too clear & a workable solution has been found (and not a technically difficult one really) - that we still see stupid news articles like this one appearing. Just suggests to me, that the BCC columnist is either "mentally challenged" or too lazy to do their background field work prior to writing an article. Cheers - Asiaplay

This was news in 2006, and for the most part his comments were taken out of context. Cerf was basically saying you
can't put the unicode of hundreds of languages and scripts into the existing DNS without a lot of testing or you will
probably "break" the system. Probably a poor choice of words in retrospect.

Critics who have paid no attention to "IDNs" are just now grasping the unicode to punycode system which has
been under development for over a decade. Although the system works perfectly, they don't seem to like the fact
that there is a punycode tied to their languages. So...it politics as usual and will be years in the sorting out.
In the meantime the everyday user will pay little nevermind and get on using the IDN system.

[blastfromthepast]

What's puny about my code? The name itself implies inferiority. Something less than unicode. Puny code.

[scotty]

Are you some kind of archeologist?

woops, sorry about that! It was one of BBC's tech headlines yesterday and because of that I didn't even check the date of the article.

[jacksonm]

ICANN, of all organizations, should know that inserting punycode extensions into the root causes no problem whatsoever. A punycode extension is an ascii extension, period. They don't have the same 'concern' regarding introducing hundreds or even thousands of new non-xn-- ascii extensions into the root.

I can only assume that ICANN is being fed this FUD (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fear%2C_uncertainty_and_doubt) by Rick, Frank, and the likes.

.

[zenmarketing]

I'm with blast on this one, "puny" code was a bad name from the start. It just sounds like something you don't want.

Jacksonm, I wouldn't spread wild, ungrounded accusations about the activities of Frank Schilling and Rick Schwartz like that.

I think the perception that successful ASCII domainers are "anti" IDN is way off base. The reality is that they are already so successful, IDN's just aren't a concern -- not big enough to be on their radar (yet). You can't expect them to have a fully informed opinion on a subject that is literally foreign to them.

To his credit, I think the comments Frank has made about IDN's have been fairly well-reasoned given his position.

[Rubber Duck]

To be fair both of them have opinions on the matter. One of which is really quite well informed, the other's opinions seem to be based on pure biggotry.

I'm with blast on this one, "puny" code was a bad name from the start. It just sounds like something you don't want.

Jacksonm, I wouldn't spread wild, ungrounded accusations about the activities of Frank Schilling and Rick Schwartz like that.

I think the perception that successful ASCII domainers are "anti" IDN is way off base. The reality is that they are already so successful, IDN's just aren't a concern -- not big enough to be on their radar (yet). You can't expect them to have a fully informed opinion on a subject that is literally foreign to them.

To his credit, I think the comments Frank has made about IDN's have been fairly well-reasoned given his position.

[jacksonm]

To be fair both of them have opinions on the matter. One of which is really quite well informed, the other's opinions seem to be based on pure biggotry.

Neither one of them are going to lend any credibility to something which has the potential to suck the wind from their sails, and that's the bottom line.

.

I think the perception that successful ASCII domainers are "anti" IDN is way off base. The reality is that they are already so successful, IDN's just aren't a concern -- not big enough to be on their radar (yet). You can't expect them to have a fully informed opinion on a subject that is literally foreign to them.

They are smart businessmen. I can and do expect them to have a fully formed opinion even at this stage. IDNs are a potentially serious threat to them and the only way to fight it at this point is via FUD campaigns, be it public and subtle (blog) or behind the scenes at the halls of power.

It would be foolish to believe that such men are idly standing by waiting to see how this threat will affect them.

.

[WebKing]

I don't feel like reading that year old article.
Let me find something new and helpful!

[zenmarketing]

IDNs are a potentially serious threat to them

I guess this is where we disagree. I see IDN's as increasing the size of the total pie, not taking away anything from ASCII domainers.

They may be missing an opportunity, sure. But the point I was making is that they are already so successful that they can afford to miss a big potential opportunity.

[touchring]

I guess this is where we disagree. I see IDN's as increasing the size of the total pie, not taking away anything from ASCII domainers.

They may be missing an opportunity, sure. But the point I was making is that they are already so successful that they can afford to miss a big potential opportunity.


IDN is a threat because many big boys don't really own a lot of IDNs. A $ into IDN is a dollar lost by ASCII.

Also, remember that many big boys play NN, and NNNs. IDNs are a threat to some degree for these domains.

[jacksonm]

I see IDN's as increasing the size of the total pie

Fire up the printing press, boys, we're runnin' low on dollars again!

.

[Drewbert]

I can only assume that ICANN is being fed this FUD (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fear%2C_uncertainty_and_doubt) by Rick, Frank, and the likes.



Well, when you ASSume....

Don't be silly.

Frank has some IDN's, IIRC.

[zenmarketing]

A $ into IDN is a dollar lost by ASCII.

I'm not sure why you think this, but it isn't the case. The total market size on both sides is increasing... this isn't a zero-sum game we are playing.

[Giant]

I think the value of decent ASCII and premium ASCII domains will still be growing, but the not-that-good and crappy ones will lose their appeal because of IDN.

If we talk about the need alone then the number of ASCII domains that are needed will not be reduced by the popularity of IDN. But if we take into account the number of domains being held by investors and investors' behaviour of looking for best returns then IDN will affect ASCII domains considerably.

We should not keep criticizig Rick for what he said in the past, he could have changed mind by now. We all have experienced a learning process in domaining. I did not think IDN domains could be so needed in year 2000, neither did Edwin, Olney.... and even RD and Drewbert.

[Rubber Duck]

IDN may be perceived as a threat to ASCII, but they are not in any real sense.

Names like Osakahotel.com will be perceived as less valuable, but frankly they probably never had much real value anyway, much of it was perceived rather than real.

Neither do they increase the size of the pie. It is a bit like a crash and grab raider doing the store at the end of the high street hundreds of times even when it has not been restocked, but being totally obvious to the fact that there dozens of other shops just opening in the same street. What you have here is the opportunity to have a fat slice of a different pie, rather than the mouldy crumbs of the first pie ever discovered.

[touchring]

I'm not sure why you think this, but it isn't the case. The total market size on both sides is increasing... this isn't a zero-sum game we are playing.


Ok, not exactly zero sum as a whole, but for specific cases where the investor is keen on investing in ASCII, and then suddenly found "IDNs", decides that IDN offer better value - the money is lost to IDNs, dollar for dollar.

I was one of those guys - i went into ASCIIs (not those gabbage names, but $xxx to $xxxx) September 2005 - the height of the US home bubble, and also unfortunately, bought some stuckists. November 2005, i discovered IDNs and ever since, never invested in another ASCII because they are overvalued in comparison to IDNs i can find, just like home prices nowadays are (not just in America, but all over the world practically that is not war ravaged).

Will i invest in ASCII again? Yes, but only if the price is right again.