.UK Announced

[julian]

Strength in unity sweethearts..

 

[Simon]

Websaway

because of contractual obligations, not offer the name xxxxxxxxxxxx.uk to any other entity.

is this actually the case tho? I thought we are contracted to the third level only. Because there are competeing domains sold on .org.uk,me.uk,ltd.uk etc

 

[websaway]

Websaway


is this actually the case tho? I thought we are contracted to the third level only. Because there are competeing domains sold on .org.uk,me.uk,ltd.uk etc

Precisely my point, none were issued in direct competition to the commercial/business space of co.uk but a .uk would be. The co.uk has been and is still being promoted as the UK commercial/business web space.

If .uk was being rolled out for some other reason I don't think there would be an issue. For instance if it was just for the royal family to use,but of course er.uk would probably be the sensible alternative in that instance.

 

[foz]

http://www.nominet.org.uk/how-parti...y-discussions-and-consultations/direct-uk-faq

Why now?
With the rapid growth in online commerce we believe there is a need for a clearly defined and well-operated domain name space that supports UK businesses who want to get online and ensure their online presence. We are also responding to the major changes ahead in the global domain name space next year, with the introduction of hundreds of new top level domains. A significant and growing number of countries (such as New Zealand) as well as forthcoming new generic top level domains are offering a shorter suffix, either alone or alongside closed or managed second level domains, indicating a trend for shorter domain names. For these reasons, we believe that it is sensible to explore bringing together the two features of enhanced security and a shorter domain into a unique service to serve the market for businesses who wish to trade online.

A blatant lie. The NZ board hasn't even sat nor reported back.

 

[Brassneck]

We are running a Nominet promotional video on one our sites - see http://www.here4business.co.uk/the-benefits-of-uk-domain-names-new-nominet-promotional-video/.

Not exactly inspiring and already apparently out of date. Towards the end the guy mentions how important that using .co.uk is important serveral times!

Stephen.

 

[Edwin]

Precisely my point, none were issued in direct competition to the commercial/business space of co.uk but a .uk would be. The co.uk has been and is still being promoted as the UK commercial/business web space.

Correct. Nominet are still doing that RIGHT NOW on http://www.agreatplacetobe.co.uk/

BTW, there is absolutely no doubt about it, Nominet considers .co.uk as the extension for business (and NOT .org.uk or .me.uk). As such, it is the only extension that should get pre-emptive grandfather rights in .uk if Nominet really intends the latter to be the "business extension" of the future.

Don't take my word for it! Here's Nominet's summary of the 3 current extensions, from http://www.agreatplacetobe.co.uk/why-uk/ - remember, every single thing below here is THEIR words NOT mine...

--------

.co.uk
- Says we do business in the UK
- Our customers trust .co.uk
- UK search results find .co.uk

Who is it for?
"The most popular choice of domain for business and enterprise in the UK. 4 in 5 people searching online in the UK prefer .co.uk websites."

--------

.me.uk
- Says I'm not a business
- Feels more personal
- Supports a UK cause in the UK

Who is it for?
"Your personal space on the internet, the choice of domain for individuals wanting to do anything from setting up a blog, collecting all social feeds in one place and professionalising a personal email address to showing off their portfolio or proudly presenting their collectors items."

--------

.org.uk
- Says we're a local organisation
- Tells people we're not for profit
- Confirms we're non-commercial

Who is it for?
"The non-commercial domain choice for charities, community groups, public service, professional institutions, not for profit and third sector organisations. "

 

[GreyWing]

Guys and Girls,

We need to know how the announcement has effected your business plans, Your customers business plans for the next 6 months.

We need to know how it will effect your business plans and your customers business plans if it gets the go ahead in its current form.

http://www.that.co.uk/business.html

I want to publish these on the site, of course domainers are welcome to share there stories but we need to show how it will effect the wider community too or it could be said it is just domainers doing this to protect their own interests.

I want that.co.uk to be the public face of the campaign against the general concept of the proposals.

So if anyone's business plans will or have been effected please fill in that form and please share, tell others and get their comments..

Cheers
GW

 

[Jump]

Published an article which I'm aiming at SME's and other less aware domain owners:

http://www.splashweb.co.uk/directuk

The more of these stakeholders that comment to Nominet the better IMO.

Good piece Mark.

 

[foz]

As such, it is the only extension that should get pre-emptive grandfather rights in .uk if Nominet really intends the latter to be the "business extension" of the future.

Grandfathering. You will still end up with double renewal fees to protect your .co.uk. The "other" extensions are left out in the cold. They will object (.org.uk is 6% of the Registry). You also force business to decide what extension they will use, both can't be marketed at the same time. Competitors to other business that use .uk may feel pressured to switch over. The pain and costs in rebranding at the very beginning are significant. And for what gains? So it looks nicer?

 

[Marcoose]

When you look at the arguments for the proposal (security, choice and looks?) and against (basically everything that has been mentioned in this thread) the more ludicrous it seems.

I just hope a large number of website owners and ideally large corporations get on side so the pressure isn't just coming from domainers. Without them, no matter how strong our arguments are, and no matter how important it is for 'UK online', I don't think we are going to have a leg to stand on.

Who knows what backhanders are going on in the behind the scenes between the big registrars and the powers that be. I'm not saying this is the case but it wouldn't surprise me if it was.

 

[Edwin]

Grandfathering. You will still end up with double renewal fees to protect your .co.uk. The "other" extensions are left out in the cold. They will object (.org.uk is 6% of the Registry). You also force business to decide what extension they will use, both can't be marketed at the same time. Competitors to other business that use .uk may feel pressured to switch over. The pain and costs in rebranding at the very beginning are significant. And for what gains? So it looks nicer?

The "gains" are the fact that .uk is going to happen anyway. Everything I've read so far on the subject suggests that Nominet is too far along and too invested in the idea to scrap it completely.

So the "win" in this situation is to get the best possible outcome for businesses (they are the ones that .uk is designed for) from the range of scenarios that are in fact plausible.

As I've posted before, the logic is water-tight: Nominet has promoted .co.uk as the trusted extension for businesses since year zero, and continues to do so right now over on http://www.agreatplacetobe.co.uk/ Since they want to introduce .uk with broadly all the same "attributes" as .co.uk (plus some extra security features) and using the same sort of pitch (the extension for business, trustworthy etc.) they're using for .co.uk then logic MUST dictate that .co.uk owners deserve first crack at it.

Think of .co.uk as a car, .org.uk as a bicycle and .me.uk as a skateboard. They're all modes of transport, they'll all get you from A-B. Now .uk comes in, and it's a different kind of car. Which of the 3 groups should get to benefit from it?

I also firmly and sincerely believe that Nominet can't "erase" the value in .co.uk just by launching .uk. There will be 2 "desirable extensions" for business, not 1, if .uk goes ahead - you can't undo 15 years of branding by millions of businesses just by wishing it. So why should a business that has already secured a great .co.uk domain throw that away for a lesser .uk one? (this assumes Nominet doesn't grandfather them in automatically).

Sure, IF a business gets both it's decision time - and I believe the fairest is that they should have that choice - but it's the work of seconds (and free) to point 2 domains to 1 website and be done with it. There's no need for a "rebrand" beyond that - people will be able to find the company no matter which "variant" they try!

 

[foz]

The "gains" are the fact that .uk is going to happen anyway. Everything I've read so far on the subject suggests that Nominet is too far along and too invested in the idea to scrap it completely.

So the "win" in this situation is to get the best possible outcome for businesses (they are the ones that .uk is designed for) from the range of scenarios that are in fact plausible.

You are rolling over and just accepting that it will happen.

Businesses will decide this outcome and I hope they get the opportunity (be made aware) to tell Nominet what they really think. Based on the responses to DNC on the .nz second level consultation the idea was not well received.

 

[Edwin]

You are rolling over and just accepting that it will happen.

No, not at all. Please stop putting words in my mouth (you did that on the other thread as well).

The problem is this: fighting a change by battling to stop the change itself leaves no opportunity for "defense" if the attempt to stop it fails. It's black or white, all or nothing, do or die.

Whereas actually looking at HOW to mitigate the effects of the change to achieve the least-worst outcome is a win-win: wasted effort if the change doesn't happen, but that's ok, and a much better change scenario if it does go ahead.

My submission to Nominet's survey was similarly nuanced. Paraphrased: "Bad idea, but if it goes ahead then this long list of changes need to be accommodated." Had I contented myself with "Bad idea" the submission would have been wasted.

 

[foz]

No, not at all. Please stop putting words in my mouth (you did that on the other thread as well).

The problem is this: fighting a change by battling to stop the change itself leaves no opportunity for "defense" if the attempt to stop it fails. It's black or white, all or nothing, do or die.

Whereas actually looking at HOW to mitigate the effects of the change to achieve the least-worst outcome is a win-win: wasted effort if the change doesn't happen, but that's ok, and a much better change scenario if it does go ahead.

Only observations to comments made public by you. The "pro" word was improper and I apologise.

By all means comment and submit on a what if scenario, however I will be ticking NO to direct.uk. A question buried right at the end (11a) of the submission document.

 

[Bailey]

Edwin, I'm surprised you appear to be suddenly singing of a different "hymn-sheet"

The sad fact is - it is the Vocal group that haven't been able to get the domains they want that Nominet have been listening to up until now . And not the majority group that have the domains that they want to do business, obviously had no reason to be vocal Up until recently recently.

I wonder whats brought about such a shift in opinion ??

 

[Edwin]

Only observations to comments made public by you. The "pro" word was improper and I apologise.

By all means comment and submit on a what if scenario, however I will be ticking NO to direct.uk. A question buried right at the end (11a) of the submission document.

Thanks. I ticked "no" too. But I answered all the rest of the document as if it were happening, with the "least worst" scenario for each individual question.

 

[Sound]

You are rolling over and just accepting that it will happen.

Businesses will decide this outcome and I hope they get the opportunity (be made aware) to tell Nominet what they really think. Based on the responses to DNC on the .nz second level consultation the idea was not well received.

The one and only way Domainers are going to win is as Foz says stopping uk from the very start this should be the one and only objective.

Unfortunately in all my time on this and other domain forums, domainers have only ever looked after themselves and like nothing more than the bitch and backstabbing so all joining together now to fight the change seems like a lost cause and everyone is still only looking after No1.

Its also interesting that the other Domain Forum that was set up for so say professional domainers to be able to talk about all things domains is tumbleweed. This alone shows what a fickle bunch domainers are.

 

[foz]

Its also interesting that the other Domain Forum that was set up for so say professional domainers to be able to talk about all things domains is tumbleweed. This alone shows what a fickle bunch domainers are.

The professional domainers are all here.

I never understood the need to double up on a UK domain forum.

 

[aZooZa]

The one and only way Domainers are going to win is as Foz says stopping uk from the very start this should be the one and only objective.

Unfortunately in all my time on this and other domain forums, domainers have only ever looked after themselves and like nothing more than the bitch and backstabbing so all joining together now to fight the change seems like a lost cause and everyone is still only looking after No1.

Its also interesting that the other Domain Forum that was set up for so say professional domainers to be able to talk about all things domains is tumbleweed. This alone shows what a fickle bunch domainers are.

Paragraph by paragraph:

1. No. The horse has already bolted. It's all about putting aside knee-jerk reactions, and mitigating the consequences in a fair and reasoned way, with the interests of all parties at heart.

2. Maybe you've been on the wrong fora.

3. Your two sentences don't correlate - non sequitur.

 

[websaway]

The one and only way Domainers are going to win is as Foz says stopping uk from the very start this should be the one and only objective.

Unfortunately in all my time on this and other domain forums, domainers have only ever looked after themselves and like nothing more than the bitch and backstabbing so all joining together now to fight the change seems like a lost cause and everyone is still only looking after No1.

Its also interesting that the other Domain Forum that was set up for so say professional domainers to be able to talk about all things domains is tumbleweed. This alone shows what a fickle bunch domainers are.

added comment to this post by mistake , sorry.