>Trialling a new structure on a new SLD actually has some advantages.
>* It would prove the use of the SRS software
>* It would prove the useability of a method of licensing multiple
>registrars
>* It would prove the useability of a publicly developed policy for
>an Australian SLD.

Ok, so what happened to ADNA considering the creation of ".biz.au", which
Michael Malone and I co-proposed multiple times, beginning prior to the
formal creation of ADNA? We even offered to co-fund software which would
provide for effective competition in that name space and provide to to any
future registrars in that space (your "SRS" software, for free!). Deafening
silence on  that one.... I guess it wasn't as much fun as trademark spaces
seem to be? Fun for whom? I'm not sure on that one.

Why start in a contentious space (trade mark specific domain name space)?
Because it distracts attention from the main game...? I don't really care
about biz.au at this point and I suspect Michael doesn't either. It got
ignored rather effectively in the ADNA processes. 

Perhaps it was too sensible - a non-contentious, new, commercially related
namespace in .au without any baggage inherent in any existing SLD or any
baggage related to trademarks or other legally contentious issues, all
software provided gratis. Seemed fair to us as a starting place. Obviously
not, however.

Meanwhile, we all know that the only space which really matters in
commercial terms is com.au - and that everything else is less important,
commercially at least. Create meaningful competition in com.au, do it now,
and THEN go sideways into other activities when you've got that right.

Lets make this clearer:

The place where the rubber meets the road is com.au. 

The place where the rubber meets the road is com.au.

The place where the rubber meets the road is com.au.

That space is where ADNA needs to prove itself, right now, with no
preconditions from ADNA members with vested interests on other areas of the
.au namespace being opened up at the same time. That simply will not work.
It won't work because everyone will sit around waiting for someone else to
blink - Mark has already noted this issue in previous mail as a problem.

The existing delegation rights Melbourne IT assert in com.au are NON
EXCLUSIVE. That's the only aspect of the agreement Melbourne IT have with
Robert Elz that they have chosen to disclose, but it's a very important one.

It means Melbourne IT cannot impose pre-conditions on Melbourne IT
operating in other spaces before others can operate in theirs - because
it's not up to them!

The reason is that it's not up to Melbourne IT, it's up to Robert Elz. The
way it's supposed to work is this:

- Melbourne IT are NOT, NOT, NOT the authority for com.au. Robert Elz is.

- Melbourne IT operates as a non-exclusive registrar in com.au by agreement
with Robert Elz [currently the case]. They are a delegate of his authority,
NOT the ultimate authority in com.au at this time.

- ADNA defines mechanisms to allow competition to work in com.au

- ADNA proposes them to the community and gets debate, tuning of the
proposals, and then support for them

- ADNA presents the mechanisms to Robert Elz

- Robert Elz determines that they are acceptable and appoints
ADNA-specified registrars into com.au in parallel to Melbourne IT

- Multiple registrars, including Melbourne IT, now exist and operate in com.au

Now: Nowhere, in that list, did Melbourne IT get a right of veto in the
process of opening up competition in com.au by allowing other registrars
into that space, without imposing conditions of any sort related to other
namespaces and Melbourne IT being able to operate elsewhere.

Peter, can you help to make that clearer to the list? Do you assert that
Melbourne IT does have a right of veto (on letting other registrars into
com.au) at this time, and if so, why? 

Regards,
  Simon Hackett

---
Simon Hackett, Technical Director, Internode Systems Pty Ltd
31 York St [PO Box 284, Rundle Mall], Adelaide, SA 5000 Australia
Email: simon§internode.com.au  Web: http://www.on.net
Phone: +61-8-8223-2999          Fax: +61-8-8223-1777