Hi ALL,

I have given up on the .AU domain space, it is becoming a BIG joke.

It is much easier to register through InterNIC and get .COM .NET etc.

There seems to be no COHERENT and SENSIBLE approach to the whole Domain Name
thing. Also to have only ONE org in control of all .COM.AU and another in
control of all .NET.AU is another BIG Joke. Back to the days when TELSTRA
could also do as they PLEASED.

The policy outlined by MelbIT and now Connect.com is far to restrictive in
nature, the name space should be administered with a little more freedom.

I have recently had DART.NET.AU approved by Connect.com.au, but DART.COM.AU
was killed by MelbIT for being a generic word/product. Yet both these domain
name spaces are governed under identical rules.

Further the Connect.com.au Rules as posted at
http://registry.connect.com.au/cgi-bin/na-policy.cgi clearly state:-

1. be unique within the net.au domain;
2. start with an alphabetic character;
3. contain only alphanumeric characters and hyphens;
4. be at least 2 characters long;
5. if 2 characters long, have a second character that is only numeric;
6. not match any existing or proposed top level domain;
7. be directly derived from the complete registered company or business name
    of the applicant organisation;
8. not be a generic word describing products, industries, industry sectors,
or
   organisations;
9. not be an unqualified Australian place name; and
10. not contravene any third party's rights to use the name.

item 7 above states BE DERIVED FROM THE COMPLETE BUSINESS NAME, not BE THE
COMPLETE BUSINESS NAME.

"Printlink Digital Copy Centre has been rejected for the
domain printlink.net.au, because "printlink" isn't their
full business name.  For some reason, "pdcc.net.au" is ok,
even though that's not their full business name either,
and they have no less claim to "pdcc" than they do to
"printlink"."

This demonstrates fully the stupidity of the policy PDCC.NET.AU is no better
than PINKLINK.NET.AU, both or either should be available to the registrant.

I would suggest that MelbIT have been lobbying NET.AU to stick with the
policy they have implemented to stop any competition in the domain space,
ie: if MelbIT wont give it to me I'll go to NET.AU and get it.

This is just the biggest JOKE I have ever encountered in ANY kind of
business.

in a country with less than 20 million people and only approx 1 million or
so on the net to implement a policy with such restriction is MAD.

The InterNIC is an international org and as such administers far more SPACE
(like 300+ million people US, 50 Million users) than AuNIC without the
problems, This is because they run on a FIRT COME FIRST SERVED Basis.

Lets put this into perspective, If we go to register a business name or
Company lets say,

ABC Pty. Ltd. if the name is available its yours no question!

If you then want to register this on the net and its unavailable then TOUGH.

There would be rights under common law, I suspect, that if you had a claim
against this name then you can pursue it.

ALL Domain space should be FREE, without restrictions of any kind!

NO business name reg no. or A.C.N required just fill in the form pay the
money and its yours. (Provided it isn't gone already)

Having said that the registrant would have to indemnify the registrar from
any claim arising from the use of the name by the registrant.

ie: if ABC Pty. Ltd. registered SHELL.COM.AU

SHELL would file a claim to the name against ABC Pty. Ltd. not the
registrar.
as it is not the responsibility of the registrar to confirm eligibility of
the name for any purpose other than it is not to SIMILAR to a registered
name or infact already REGISTERED.

I would appreciate hearing from others who would like to pursue other DAMAIN
NAME procedures.

Regards,
James Austin

Rainer Group Pty. Ltd.
PO Box 863
BAULKHAM HILLS NSW 2153
AUSTRALIA
Voice:   61 2 9894 1985
Fax:      61 2 9894 1986
E-Mail:  jea§rainer-group.com