PAB election

[Whois-Search]

The Policy Advisory Board election 2006 in now underway:

http://www.nominet.org.uk/policy/pab/election/

There are some "interesting" canadiates this year:

http://www.nominet.org.uk/policy/pab/election/statements/

Their statements are worth a read

I have two questions.........

1. When does being on the PAB become a "conflict of interest" between the company that you work for and Nominet?

2. Given the big bucks being paid to Nominet Directors.....shouldn't the PAB be a paid job for all the time they spend doing it? And when does that become a conflict with 1.

 

[retired_member11]

Who are those guys?

 

[aquanuke]

Who are those guys?

You need to subcribe to nom-steer. Theres currently a slight discussion about domainers (started by whois-search btw) most of the candidates are a bit anti us though

 

[retired_member11]

So the Sundance Kid isn't standing?

I'll go for the 'Individual Member' candidates over the corporates, just to try to even things up a little.

 

[richard]

So the Sundance Kid isn't standing?

I'll go for the 'Individual Member' candidates over the corporates, just to try to even things up a little.

So I can count on your support

And i'm not against the domainers, I am one

But I am against the alleged abuse of catching domains and would look into getting investigations of it done

 

[retired_member11]

So I can count on your support

And i'm not against the domainers, I am one

But I am against the alleged abuse of catching domains and would look into getting investigations of it done

Yes, but your 'abuse of catching' comment....what are your concerns?

 

[richard]

Yes, but your 'abuse of catching' comment....what are your concerns?

Alleged

I would be interested in seeing how Nominet actual do approach and enforce their Acceptable Use Policy of systems such as the DAC and Whois systems, in so far as people using multiple memberships and the like

Also and more to the point do they actually really care so long as they get their £5

 

[Whois-Search]

This is what the PAB do:

http://www.nominet.org.uk/policy/pab/purpose/

Their last meeting report is here:

http://www.nominet.org.uk/digitalAssets/5082_PAB_Report_March.pdf

I'm also finding the "Individual Members" easier to talk to and have more time for you.

 

[Jac]

Alleged

I would be interested in seeing how Nominet actual do approach and enforce their Acceptable Use Policy of systems such as the DAC and Whois systems, in so far as people using multiple memberships and the like

Also and more to the point do they actually really care so long as they get their £5

Please clarify why you might think they don't care?

Nominet is a not for profit company, so money only matters in as much as they have to cover costs and hold a contingency fund.

Regards
James Conaghan
http://www.conaghan.me.uk
[email protected]

 

[Jac]

So I can count on your support

And i'm not against the domainers, I am one

But I am against the alleged abuse of catching domains and would look into getting investigations of it done

For the record, Nominet regards domainers, domain catching, and/or the buying and reselling of domain names, as a legitimate business model. As long as they do, I am bound to suggest the domain catching community deserves the same consideration as any other stakeholder group. I personally think the measure of a good PAB candidate would be his/her willingness to defend equally the rights of all stakeholder groups, even if he/she doesn't agree with their business model. (Rights are not about agreement, they are about consideration.)

The DAC, WHOIS and WHOIS2 have preset parameters beyond which a user cannot go. Nominet has preset the amount of usage per member per day, which theoretically minimises any abuse. Then again, you can't keep a burglar out if he's determined to get in.

By the by, it is my understanding that some of the bigger Tag Holders may argue that the parameters should be set higher; but that's another argument and one you may come across if you get elected to the PAB. Nothing is ever as simple as it first seems.

Regards
James Conaghan
http://www.conaghan.me.uk
[email protected]

 

[richard]

Then again, you can't keep a burglar out if he's determined to get in.

I have no specific evidence to suggest any foul play, I do think that it is possible to determine any patterns in abuse of the systems.

I am merely suggesting that whilst Nominet are "not for profit" they may not actually be too fussed how a domain gets registered, so long as one actually does

 

[Beasty]

I have no specific evidence to suggest any foul play, I do think that it is possible to determine any patterns in abuse of the systems.

I am merely suggesting that whilst Nominet are "not for profit" they may not actually be too fussed how a domain gets registered, so long as one actually does

I wish people would stop saying Nominet is "not for profit". It made over a million pounds profit in the year covered by the latest set of accounts - and now has about 6 1/2 million pounds as a surplus.

That means that it is a profit making company - making a handsome profit - at present it just can't distribute it to its members. However, it means it can afford very generous salaries for its top executives.

 

[Jac]

I have no specific evidence to suggest any foul play, I do think that it is possible to determine any patterns in abuse of the systems.

For the record, Nominet already has systems in place to monitor potential abuse.

I am merely suggesting that whilst Nominet are "not for profit" they may not actually be too fussed how a domain gets registered, so long as one actually does

Whilst the process of registering a domain name in the first place, is usually as simple as filling in some form fields; if any anomalies in the details come to light afterwards, Nominet is very fussed indeed.

Regards
James Conaghan
http://www.conaghan.me.uk
[email protected]

 

[Jac]

I wish people would stop saying Nominet is "not for profit". It made over a million pounds profit in the year covered by the latest set of accounts - and now has about 6 1/2 million pounds as a surplus.

That means that it is a profit making company - making a handsome profit - at present it just can't distribute it to its members. However, it means it can afford very generous salaries for its top executives.

For the sake of clarity, Nominet is mandated not to make a profit, which is not the same thing as saying it can't make one. Indeed, it has to, to cover its costs and pay its wages and other bills but it's done on a cost recovery basis. It also has to maintain a contingency fund for things like legal expenses, hence the surplus you refer to.

On the subject of salaries, I'd say the UK Registry needs top notch executives to stay ahead of the game. The role of a Nominet director and/or executive can involve representing the .uk Registry both nationally and internationally encompassing some prominent organisations or government departments: eg: interacting with CENTR, IETF, ICANN, OFT, DTI, Home Office, Cabinet Office, IWF, IGF, UN ... and there's more!

Rather them than me!

Regards
James Conaghan
http://www.conaghan.me.uk
[email protected]

 

[Beasty]

For the sake of clarity, Nominet is mandated not to make a profit, which is not the same thing as saying it can't make one. Indeed, it has to, to cover its costs and pay its wages and other bills but it's done on a cost recovery basis. It also has to maintain a contingency fund for things like legal expenses, hence the surplus you refer to.

On the subject of salaries, I'd say the UK Registry needs top notch executives to stay ahead of the game. The role of a Nominet director and/or executive can involve representing the .uk Registry both nationally and internationally encompassing some prominent organisations or government departments: eg: interacting with CENTR, IETF, ICANN, OFT, DTI, Home Office, Cabinet Office, IWF, IGF, UN ... and there's more!

Rather them than me!

It's making an annual profit of around 10% of turnover. As for the contingency fund - when is that going to stop growing? 6 1/2 million covers a lot of litigation costs - and insurance should be in place to cover many contingencies already.

If the Patent Office (which includes the TM Office) and Companies House can each find a top person for around £100K to run agencies that are about 10 times the size and significantly more complex than Nominet - why does Nominet need to spend £400K on its top two execs? I can ask you and you may choose to answer if you know. I have no right to ask Nominet, as it is a private company and I am not a member.

 

[Jac]

It's making an annual profit of around 10% of turnover. As for the contingency fund - when is that going to stop growing? 6 1/2 million covers a lot of litigation costs - and insurance should be in place to cover many contingencies already.

If the Patent Office (which includes the TM Office) and Companies House can each find a top person for around £100K to run agencies that are about 10 times the size and significantly more complex than Nominet - why does Nominet need to spend £400K on its top two execs? I can ask you and you may choose to answer if you know.

For the sake of clarity, Nominet has not yet published last year's accounts so the figures you are quoting refer to a unique year with unique pay. Nota bene; I don't work for Nominet so I can't answer for their pay policy but in general, I would expect Nominet staff to be paid competitively in terms of similar job in similar industries. I would also expect some of their pay to be performance related just as it might be in any job in the private sector.

Whilst civil service pay may be lower, private sector employees do not enjoy the same long-term benefits as civil servants. For instance, existing civil service employees can still retire on full pensions at age 60; and lest we forget; public sector wages and pensions have to be paid for by taxpayers. (That'd be you.) The point being, you are not comparing like with like when you keep comparing civil service pay with a private company. I have to confess therefore, that I don't understand your obsession with a private limited company's accounts... or the Patent Office.

I have no right to ask Nominet, as it is a private company and I am not a member.

But you do have a right; you exercise it everytime you read Nominet's accounts which are in the public domain; they ain't hiding anything. If the .uk namespace was falling apart (which it is not) and Nominet stopped answering their phones (which they have not) those would seem to be more appropriate concerns than people's wages; but that's just me.

Regards
James Conaghan
http://www.conaghan.me.uk
[email protected]