Hi Mark, Kerry and all,

Correct me if I'm wrong... but isn't Mark's point that some names do have
more goodwill value than others, however it's not the role of the selling
authority to determine what that value is?

I.e. If I (could) register the business name "business.com" it would cost
the same as registering the name "joeandbillsfruitandveg"... there may be
more value to certain businesses in the first name (just as there may be
more value to other businesses in the second), however the price is the same
because business names are provided on a basis of equity... the cost is the
same... it's a matter of first in best dressed... the Government (or rather
us, through our ability to vote for respective Governments), recognised the
need for equitable distribution of business names many years ago, hence this
is the system we have.

Shouldn't domain names be provided on the same basis of equity?

The fact that someone can purchase a name (either a business or domain name)
cheaply, and subsequently "value add" to that name thereby making a profit
from it's sale... is the very nature of business... it's what we do... take
raw materials, value-add, and sell for a profit.

Inequity would be highly evident if someone decided to change the rules, and
make a company pay more for the "raw materials" simply on the assumption
they will make an increased profit over someone else... there would be
nothing different in this practice than my selling an apple to my neighbour
for a dollar... and selling another apple to his neighbour for a hundred
dollars.... on the assumption that the apple is worth more to his neighbour
because he happens to like apples!!

Someone here wrote that a Domain Name is not a directory service (quite a
few times). May I write, that a Domain Name is a Domain Name is a Domain
Name (et-all).

The value is in the nature of the business making the purchase... not in the
name itself (banks.com would be worth nothing to me, unless I purchased the
domain for the sole purpose of reselling it) - hence all domain names should
be the same price to the initial purchaser on the proviso that they cannot
be resold for (??) years, or if voluntarily lapsed, placed back into the
public pool. However if a person value-adds to a domain name... good luck to
them!

Cheers, Don