Have the 'no to .uk' changed their mind?

[Stephen]

There have been many on Acorn and beyond who have argued that the status quo should be maintained and that .uk should not be released.

Even many that wanted .uk argued that an impact study, surveys and a business case be provided to support .uk.

Now Nominet have provided;

• details of how it is bring in .uk
• provided an independent study on .uk
• provided a report of the thinking behind .uk
• undertaken surveys about .uk
• provided lots of Q & A and information

Have the 'no to .uk camp' converted that .uk would be good for the UK namespace?

 

[Edwin]

I still believe the status quo would be better for the UK namespace.

However:
A) I'm pragmatic enough to accept that we're not going to get to keep the status quo no matter what happens - that's extremely clear at this point.
B) V3 is such an huge improvement over V2 that (given that .uk is going ahead) V3 is now "good enough" - in fact, it's hard to think of a better version than V3 if you start from the premise that .uk HAS to happen
C) I'm therefore going to wait for V3 to be implemented.

In summary, V3 gets a grudging thumbs up from me.

I covered this in more detail here...
http://www.dnjournal.com/archive/lowdown/2013/dailyposts/20131121.htm

 

[monaghan]

I don't see that it is anything more than a vanity option and locking it down for 5 years is not exactly giving us more choice as you have to wait and see if the .co.uk you couldn't get decides to register the .uk, by which time you'd have chosen another TLD or a different name.

The 5 year window just gives longer to migrate, so if the assumption is that people will own the .co.uk and the .uk why not just parallel run from day 1 and be done with it (like they were suggesting on .wales)

I'd love to know how they will implement the checking at a registry level, how will they know that John Smith registrant of johnsmith.co.uk currently a customer of registrar X is the same regiistrant as my customer John Smith, after all, my customer may have looked at the whois and given the same address, he may also be someone like me who tends to use different email addresses with different suppliers so he can clearly see who is selling on his email addresses. This is going to be quite complex for the registrar and the customer unless they lock it down to the Nominet account the domain is in which in effect for most people locks you into a single regostrar.

 

[Edwin]

I'd love to know how they will implement the checking at a registry level, how will they know that John Smith registrant of johnsmith.co.uk currently a customer of registrar X is the same regiistrant as my customer John Smith, after all, my customer may have looked at the whois and given the same address, he may also be someone like me who tends to use different email addresses with different suppliers so he can clearly see who is selling on his email addresses. This is going to be quite complex for the registrar and the customer unless they lock it down to the Nominet account the domain is in which in effect for most people locks you into a single regostrar.

Perhaps it will work something like domain transfers? In other words, a unique link will be sent to the admin email address on record for the qualifying domain at Nominet to verify that they are the same entity applying for the .uk. Hopefully we'll find out in February.

 

[websaway]

I don't think it's a question of changing one's mind, it's more about compromising on the inevitable and getting on with it.

A lost year, a comedy of errors, total incompetence, but at least we can now function, and, who knows "from every adversity sprouts the seed of equal or greater opportunity, for those that search for it"
W.Clement Stone.

 

[Edwin]

I don't think it's a question of changing one's mind, it's more about compromising on the inevitable and getting on with it.

Absolutely perfect summary. I've highlighted the advice in bold.

 

[foz]

Have the 'no to .uk' changed their mind?

Nope, but can live with it. My renewals bill will double (eventually). It gives me time to adjust, prune and focus the portfolio. I can also start buying again knowing I won't be cut off at the knees based on when the registration date is.

 

[Edwin]

Nope, but can live with it. My renewals bill will double (eventually). It gives me time to adjust, prune and focus the portfolio. I can also start buying again knowing I won't be cut off at the knees based on when the registration date is.

Yes. Having a final decision unfreezes everything.

Drop catchers know the status of what they're catching (whether it will qualify or not)

Domain sellers can mention the .uk to help close deals.

Domain buyers - as you pointed out - can get their chequebooks out again without worrying that they're buying lemons.

Developers can start developing again.

 

[bb99]

A good thread, thanks for the opportunity to have a moan.

I have not changed my mind - I'm still against it.

The changes were squared away with Government before the October board meeting. These changes do make it more palatable to me and my customers but the big beefs still remain:

- Mass confusion is coming.

- Increased costs are coming. More costs in (up to) 5 years time are still more costs.

- There's just no point in it, it's change for change's sake under the guise of "relevance".

The big registrars will clean up on all the incremental sales, Nominet will grow accordingly and any poor performance of its curious diversification strategy will get lost in the growth.

That said, it is happening so I need to stop being miserable and move on - perhaps I'll email all my customers to tell them they *need* to start paying double from Summer next year

And, as above, on the plus side it has brought an end to the uncertainty that has dogged the secondary market for over a year.

 

[websaway]

I was against direct.uk and still am.

I did a 500 mile trip yesterday and with direct.uk fresh in my mind, I was more aware of domains on vans and trucks than usual. The unequivocal impression I got is that it's a huge mistake that benefits no one but those with premium domains of which I didn't see one! But, it's done now and only time will tell whether it's a great success or a huge train crash.

I think because of the slow transition a huge train crash will be avoided.
And yes you need to see the sheer volume of vehicle signage built up over 15 years to appreciate the cost of the change had it been done any differently.

 

[tifosi]

Drop catchers know the status of what they're catching (whether it will qualify or not)

That's if they drop! The new registrar agreement will put paid to that to a large degree and start a whole new industry of corporate warehousing. It's a case of the closer you are the less you see.. and many are too close to the .uk obsession.

Developers can start developing again.

Agreed, I have 3 start up businesses that were on hold due to each of them potentially losing the .uk. Now I can at least get on with these with some security.

 

[Edwin]

That's if they drop! The new registrar agreement will put paid to that to a large degree and start a whole new industry of corporate warehousing. It's a case of the closer you are the less you see.. and many are too close to the .uk obsession.

When's the new registrar agreement coming into force? I had a feeling it was still some way off being implemented?

 

[bulkcorn]

I was against .uk but remained open to the idea of the shorter extension as long as the business extension wasn't sold a second time to the highest bidders.

I would have preferred a straightforward upgrade/transition from .co.uk to .uk rather than two separate domains ..... but I'd gladly settle for V3 than V1! .uk would have happened one way or the other!

 

[tifosi]

Sure I've seen somewhere it will be introduced early 2014 with a 6month transition. No fixed date I think. Someone will have pointer links. Isn't it at the 'comment' stage now i.e. past consultancy final draft this is what it is version.

From the nom-announce email:

Registrars and other interested stakeholders are invited to submit comments by 20 December 2013.

The final version of the agreement is expected to be agreed in early 2014 and registrars will then be given 30 days notice before it comes into force. Nominet will provide comprehensive support over a six-month period to help registrars move across to the new model.

I expect it in force around the time .uk is introduced.

 

[Edwin]

Sure I've seen somewhere it will be introduced early 2014 with a 6month transition. No fixed date I think. Someone will have pointer links. Isn't it at the 'comment' stage now i.e. past consultancy final draft this is what it is version.

Ok, thanks. So it sounds like .uk will be live before too long after it's implemented, which is sure to shake up drop catching in any case.

 

[Stephen]

2 battles?

Ok, thanks. So it sounds like .uk will be live before too long after it's implemented, which is sure to shake up drop catching in any case.

After the launch of .uk, when a .co.uk drops that had the rights to .uk.

Will there be 2 battles;

who catches the .uk
who catches the .co.uk​

will the date time stamp be know, in case the .co.uk is caught first and they argue they have the 5 year rights to the .uk as it was previously registered or will it all change on launch?

It is possible to code for that scenario at the registry level!

 

[Edwin]

After the launch of .uk, when a .co.uk drops that had the rights to .uk.

Will there be 2 battles;

who catches the .uk
who catches the .co.uk​

will the date time stamp be know, in case the .co.uk is caught first and they argue they have the 5 year rights to the .uk as it was previously registered or will it all change on launch?

It is possible to code for that scenario at the registry level!

Nominet have already covered that in their Q&A:

Are any rights to the .uk name conferred on any third-level domains registered after the launch date? (Date TBC, expected summer 2014)

No.

Since a dropped domain has always been counted as deleted-then-reregistered, if a .co.uk drops after launch that had been in the running for the .uk, the right to the .uk will be lost i.e. the new registrant of the .co.uk has no right.

Now whether that unlocks the .uk to be registered instantly, or whether they're going to be batched up and released periodically, I don't know...

 

[Edwin]

In other words, the whole "who qualifies for a .uk" question is based on a window in time.

That window opened on 28 October 2013 and closes on launch day.

Domains can never gain the right to the .uk after launch day, only lose it (if they had it but get dropped).

 

[anthony]

In other words, the whole "who qualifies for a .uk" question is based on a window in time...

In reality, it doesn't escape the scenario that to get .uk through, Nominet could simply have decided to capitulate to the whims and moans of the domainer community in terms of price and rights, simply to achieve the bigger picture. Without this vocal group on their side post .uk roll-out, the flack for Nominet would have continued for years to come, whereas now they have a happy bunch no longer carping on about the effects on businesses etc.

As for the .co.uk v .org.uk debate, a disproportionate number of the .co.uk domains that would have lost rights to the .org.uk domains based on age are held by domainers. This is a result of many years drop catching, where the age rights 'flipped' over to the .org.uk registrants due to the .co.uk drop. By trampling over any rights for .org.uk's to .uk based on age, the drop catching community are left happy.

No clearer point to emphasise this is the rights afforded to a .co.uk that is dropped and re-registered even after the cut-off date. It makes the anti-gaming measure appear ridiculous, and a deliberate act against .org.uk registrants to pacify drop catchers.

 

[scooter]

A good thread, thanks for the opportunity to have a moan.

I have not changed my mind - I'm still against it.

The changes were squared away with Government before the October board meeting. These changes do make it more palatable to me and my customers but the big beefs still remain:

- Mass confusion is coming.

- Increased costs are coming. More costs in (up to) 5 years time are still more costs.

- There's just no point in it, it's change for change's sake under the guise of "relevance".

+1
Hats off to Nominet. An exercise in how to double your income.





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