|> -----Original Message-----
|> From: dns-bounces+dassa=dhs.org§dotau.org 
|> [mailto:dns-bounces+dassa=dhs.org§dotau.org] On Behalf Of Larry Bloch
|> Sent: Thursday, June 08, 2006 9:05 PM
|> To: '.au DNS Discussion List'
|> Subject: Re: [DNS] france ditches magic number 
|> requirementRe:Domaindisputeheats up
|> 
|> Darryl,
|> 
|> You are absolutely correct about price. Red tape in .au 
|> makes it more expensive. Poor tender management by auDA 
|> results in the registry taking more than their fare share. 
|> Siphoning millions of dollars into separate legal entities 
|> for dubious endeavours all add to the cost of your .com.au name.
|> 
|> Making businesses jump through hoops to justify their 
|> selection of name has the same effect.
|> 
|> It drives people away from .au to .com. I think that's bad. 
|> I'd prefer Australian businesses to use .au. Partly from 
|> self interest and partly because I think in most cases it's 
|> more appropriate.
|> 
|> I disagree with your assertion that the current policy 
|> enforces the .au branding. As you said, most people don't 
|> understand. They choose what is easier and what is cheaper. 
|> And the numbers show the result: gTLDs 2, Australia 1

We should always be on the lookout to make procedures work more efficiently.
I agree there has been a lot of red tape to get through in the past but it is
much simplier now, and yes, it may be refined more.  I agree people choose
what is easier and cheaper unless they can see the value in alternatives.  I
assert it is up to us to point out the value.  I don't see the numbers of
people choosing a gTLD as a reason to say the .au policies are the cause.  I
would suspect it is mostly due to the fact they can get them at below cost
prices.

My company had more hostnames in our DNS than .au at one stage, for over a
year, mainly because we provided a free service.  A lot of the gTLDs and
ccTLDs are given away at below cost or free.  This builds up numbers fast but
I doubt it is actually a good business model.  I know when my company went
user pays the numbers dropped back down very quickly.  High take up rates may
be due to a number of factors, what AuDA is about is building a sustainable
namespace that value adds.

BTW, I'm not totally against registrations directly under .au, but I don't
consider the points put forward that I've seen so far justify creating an open
slather market.

Darryl (Dassa) Lynch