NED Voting

[Admin]

Just received this notice from Nominet. I'll be voting for Susannah Clark without a shadow of a doubt.

_____________________________________________________

2020 Non-Executive Director Election

The six candidates standing for election this year for the position of Non-Executive Director on the Nominet board are:

• David Barnes
• Phil Buckingham
• Susannah Clark
• Lindsay Hamilton-Reid
• Lesley Moody MBE
• Kelly Salter

Members will elect one candidate to serve as a Non-Executive Director until AGM 2023.

The candidates’ brochure and video statements are now available to members within the portal hosted by the independent scrutineer, Civica.


Please note that voting opens on the 1st September 2020. Due to the timing of this year’s AGM the voting window falls immediately after Membership subscription invoices are due. While these invoices are always issued with 30-day terms it will be particularly important to ensure timely payment this year to avoid any difficulties in casting your vote.


Please also ensure your voting contact details in your Online Services account are correct before that date as Civica will contact you directly via that contact address with details on how to cast your vote. If you need help accessing Online Services please contact our Customer Support team at [email protected].

Non-Executive Director candidates webinar

In response to government guidance on public gatherings and following an assessment of the potential technical difficulties in live streaming a webinar with six candidates we have decided to deliver the webinar as a pre-recorded session this year. Each candidate participating in the webinar will face the same set of questions. Members are invited to submit questions in advance to the engagement team. The recording will be made available the week commencing the 27th July and will provide a great opportunity to hear from the participating candidates before you cast your vote.

If you have questions for the candidates please email them to [email protected] by close of business on Monday 20th July 2020.


Please note that timing constraints may mean we cannot ask every question received. If you have multiple questions we suggest listing them in order of priority.

 

[Siusaidh]

May the best person win!

The video presentations in the Nominet package had to be short, but for the enthusiasts I will be posting an extended video later today on my website at Susannah.uk where I go into much more detail about my problems with things like the mass registration of millions of .uk domains that Nominet facilitated through the 'free registration' promotions, as well as issues with cartels 'gaming' the system, and the need to enforce rules and protocols. Fundamentally I am standing to try to represent smaller registrars, smaller businesses and individuals - because I believe that historically, the very large registrars have held too much sway. The UK's namespace is relied on by millions, and needs to be run without clique or favour.

There's a lot more, but the extended video is scheduled to go live by this evening. In the end, weigh up everyone and, of course, vote for whoever you want!

Susannah

 

[stevelook2]

Best of luck Susannah

 

[Murray]

Fundamentally I am standing to try to represent smaller registrars, smaller businesses and individuals

Do you still support an auction model?

- https://www.acorndomains.co.uk/threads/proposal-for-fairer-access-to-dropping-domain-names.165744/

 

[Siusaidh]

I support clear processes and enforcement. At the time I was writing, that seemed untenable, with the mayhem being wreaked by cartels circumventing the system. It was appalling and I was disgusted. If rules are tightened so everyone gets fair play, that is my priority, and that's fine by me. The auction idea was a model of an alternative. I don't have a vested interest in any model myself. I just believe, whatever system is used, that access must be fair.

What I will fight for is integrity of process - process that is rules-based, not swayed by large industry insider cliques, and let me put it this way to you: if you want representation by someone who challenges that 'laissez-faire' approach to rules -

Do you choose to vote for the sitting Director, who works for a company who carried out 100,000s of mass-registrations, without the 'ghost' registrants requesting them?

Or do you choose one of the candidates (probably Phil or myself) who would have challenged that?

 

[ian]

Many on here are the voice of the small registrar, but might end up voting for candidates pro auction based registering, hitting their back pockets by lining Nominets further. This concerns me, but best of luck to all candidates regardless.

 

[Systreg]

let me put it this way to you: if you want representation by someone who challenges that 'laissez-faire' approach to rules -

I'd prefer someone who speaks English, without me having to open a translator

 

[Siusaidh]

Be thankful I wasn't speaking in gaelic.

Anyway guys, I'm here. I may have an independent mind, and I'm not a stereotypical candidate, but if I may put it in 'plain English':

I think UK's namespace should be run by more ordinary users, and fewer large registrar reps. You happy with the weighted access to the ROR? Or the fact that millions of names were mass-requisitioned and unavailable? Or that a handful of large registrars get so much weighted advantage when it comes to voting?

I'm here to make my case.

This is all set out in my extended video which launches this evening.

In English

 

[DesD]

I'd encourage forum members to unite behind Susannah's application.

We may, or may not, agree with her current positioning on all of the topics, but we can't question her availability or openness to debate the issues here in the forum, or her capability to understand how complex this industry can be for a lone voice.

Let's put Susannah to work for us and send a clear message to the suits...we won't accept a continuation of Trump style operations in the UK namespace.

 

[Siusaidh]

Thank you Des,

I am indeed here in the forum, and will be available for tech media too. I don't think anyone can doubt that I am an outsider candidate in many ways.

For anyone who wants to listen to my ambitions for Nominet, I have put together two presentations at Susannah.uk.

Firstly the short presentation that was sent out this morning, which you can see in larger resolution here:



Secondly, an extended presentation of my views, which acts as a kind of press release, but which may be of interest to some if they have the time and interest - note it is about 500MB:

 

[lazarus]

Good luck Susannah. Fingers crossed. I have never bothered to vote before, but this time, you have my vote!

 

[Siusaidh]

Thank you very much

 

[webber]

You will have my first vote, whatever weight it might carry.
Good luck!

 

[Siusaidh]

That's really appreciated - as far as I'm concerned, your vote is worth as much as Namesco's, Fasthosts, or GoDaddy's.

In my opinion it should be 'weighted' the same too.

However, the process is the process - for the time being.

Thanks for your support!

 

[martin-s]

How many domains do you have registered Susannah?

 

[Siusaidh]

Hang on - I'll check

 

[Siusaidh]

I assume you are referring to UK domains Martin? 215 as of tonight - not all on my tag.

 

[Siusaidh]

To answer an obvious follow up question: why do I register domains?

Mainly for these reasons:

1. I specialise in religious domains because of interests I have in spirituality of various kinds.
2. I also register in other special interest areas (family history, writers, mountaineering, whisky, space).
3. Names for use by family members.
4. Names held for certain political purposes, more discreetly.

So in short, I mainly register domains as a fairly ordinary internet user and domain name user.

I have no vested interests in the internet and DNS beyond good process and clear rules, and a belief that the internet and DNS should be run, and specifically in this country, for the benefit of millions (communities, individuals, services, business) and not disproportionately for a few big players in the tech industry.

 

[Siusaidh]

Additionally, I think if I am honest, there is something about 'the chase' that has drawn me to domains: a bit like people hoping to find treasures, or poachers hoping to catch something for the pot. It's always interesting seeing what names are dropping, and seeing if you can get ones you want. In my case, because many of my interests are rather specialist, I've quite often managed to get the names I want, though of course that doesn't always happen - and I have a nice collection, gathered over 20 years, some already developed, many awaiting when retirement finally comes for development (I was just retired, but now I'm back in the NHS for the time being). I admit I like the 'spirit' and resilient hopefulness of many domainers - and also I've met some really decent people - so I actually hope the system, close to what it is now, can be made to run fairer for all. I didn't think the RoR last year was run in a way that respected most ordinary people who wanted to be involved, with the tiering system. And I was frankly disgusted that all the mass-registrations were allowed to go ahead. That brought understandable criticism, and in my opinion very bad PR for nothing gained. In addition, when Namesco's .uk names were dropping in January, the system was in mayhem. I had considerable suspicion the rules were being circumvented, but what rules there were did not seem 'fit for purpose' to me, because it looked like they couldn't effectively be enforced (in my view). I wanted there to be a system with clarity. I was dismayed with what I saw as mayhem going on, with no easy way to address it. In my view, if rules can't be enforced, you need to change the rules. I think Nominet's processes need to be tightened up and enforced more, and then maybe something like the status quo can work. I think that's what's needed, and it would be fine if it did, because as I say, I am a long-term domainer myself and I like the thrill of the chase and I like plenty of the people it attracts (including many decent people here who I do business with). However, what I don't like is what I feel is an overweighted influence of the 'large customers': that handful of very large registrars who seem to get more voting weight, and more sway, than others - when actually, a company like Namesco or GoDaddy is no more important than all the other companies who use the internet, not to mention the millions and millions of people for whom the system exists (or should). Nominet has to balance its own financial interests as a company with its national responsibilities as a steward of the UK namespace. It can't all be solely about money. It needs to have reputation, and it needs to be clear of taint, or controversies, or circumvented rules - and what it certainly is NOT is part of a fiefdom of large tech companies. If that ever happened, it would have lost its way. I'm not negative towards Nominet, because it's the only company we have got, and for the UK's sake, and internet users generally, I want it to succeed and do things really well. Millions rely on that.

As you can see, I feel quite passionately about that, and I have for 20 years. As to whether my appointment would be more than window-dressing if I was appointed, well that is a good question which I assure you I ask myself.

Let's face it: the UK namespace is a contracting market. If you are a for-profit company that obviously presents issues. Partly that's been addressed by 'foster parenting' some other registries, but the drive is expansion into cybersecurity. To be fair, that is an expanding threat, both domestically but especially from growing risks of external attack. The question then becomes: does domain name revenue 'subsidise' ventures in cybersecurity (like CyGlass)? and probably the follow up question (for how long?) depends on unknowables about how a company like that will develop in terms of revenue generation.

One thing I know is coming is significantly higher prices for .com and .org domains in the coming years. In my opinion ICANN has rolled over and allowed the big registries have a green light for that (classic insider arrangements in my opinion). The reason that relates to Nominet: the coming rise in .com and .org prices should not be used as a cover for 'mirroring' those prices, and raising prices in the UK: that is the opposite of making the DNS available for all. Nominet has actually done some good work recently to help tech become more accessible for digitally marginalised groups. That should be a real focus (not to mention, it's good PR). But if the UK domain market is contracting, I don't think the answer is to raise prices. As for funding ventures external to domain sales, through domain sales... that is (how can I put it politely) quite bold.

Mark Wood said that this year, 2020, was a 'pivotal year' for Nominet. All our lives have been disrupted by Covid-19 so we shall have to see.

In the midst of it all, what the UK namespace should be is classy in the way it operates for the good of all.

 

[Siusaidh]

That's it, I'm out. I'm working tomorrow so talk among yourselves

I may look in sometime tomorrow evening.

Maybe Phil could call in. I'm a different candidate to Phil but I do listen to what he has to say, and I'm sure we have several points of agreement.

Will anyone else come and engage? This is more of a platform for Nominet members than the Nominet forum itself which is frankly pretty moribund and uninhabited. I obviously look in there, but there's hardly anyone there.