altRFC on New Top Level Domain Name Registration NOTE : This Document is not intended to pre-define or rigidly set **** the consensus making process set out in various sections below. It is intended as an indication of potential and general possibilities for the work and discussion ahead. I apologize in advance for all errors - I am tired of the whole process and wish to be rid of this document. - BA ********************************************************************** 1. Introduction This alternative document provides some information on the structure of the names in the Domain Name System (DNS), specifically the top- level domain names; and on the administration of domains. The Internet Commission (IC) takes over the overall authority for TLD's and IP Addressing, and many other parameters used on the Internet. Since the Internet's future is going to be driven by commercial market forces (i.e. the use of domain names to identify corporate business units which are known to the public as "brand names"), we should think about how to use those commercial aspects to the net's advantage. This document covers only the framework necessary to define the function, delegation, and use of new top level domains and also touches upon IP number allocation. Several factors need to be addressed such who accepts registrations for the TLD, and what special purpose (if any) the TLD serves. These questions can be answered by the recognition of TLD "classes". This document creates the structure for the creation of new top level domains, and introduces a number of new top level domains that are designed to reduce naming conflicts in the .COM zone. 2. Trademarks Three points must be kept in mind when understanding trademark issues on the internet: (a) domain names are and must be unique, and (b) trademarked names are not necessarily unique (and there are many examples of non-unique trademarks) (c) There are no international trademarks and there is no official international registry of world wide trademarks. Trademarks may be registered per country or per State/Province/Territory. The World Intellectual Property Organization offers an international arbitration service on such matters but this is in no way a satisfactory or binding authority. Most of the Trademark issues are unresolved pending International Agreement and may be prejudiced by Trademark holders in the nation where the Internet Commission or Internet Registry is located until these dilemas are finally settled. Certain legal work arouns may be proposed none of which offer the satisfactory results obtainable only by the treaty process. 3.0 Domain Name Structure The domain name space is a tree structure: . (un-named root) | ----------------------------------------------------------------- | | | | | | | | | | .COM .EDU .NET .ORG .GOV .US .CA .FCN .XXX (.ETC) | TORONTO | NEWS The above example describes the internet host .. where .FCN is the Free Community Network Top Level Domain, TORONTO is the Secondary Level Domain used by Toronto Free Community Network, and the Peripheral Level Domain (PLD) NEWS identifies that organization's host (computer) that functions as a news server. The IC shall concern itself only with Primary and Secondary Domain name issues. Each TLD may be illustrated with a similar hierarchy of names. Generally, under most TLDs the structure is very flat. That is, many organizations register Secondary Level Domains directly under the TLD. Any Peripheral Level Domain structure is up to the individual organizations to determine and maintain. This hierarchy in the naming of Computers is the Domain Name System (DNS). At the core of this system is the unnamed Root which is represented by a period "." or background point of definition). You could represent the Root as a meta-registry that is a list of all Top Level Domains and corresonding number allocations. We do not work with the number system but it must be understood that the number There are a set of what are called "top-level domain names" (TLDs). These are identified either two letter or other country iTLDs (3.2), generic TLDs (3.3) and specific TLDs (see 3.4) whose naming indicates the catagory of organization that is found there. 3.2 International Top Level Domain (iTLD) Class In International TLDs, there is a wide variation in the structure, in some countries the structure is very flat, in others there is substantial structural organization. In some country domains the second levels are generic categories (such as, AC, CO, GO, and RE), in others they are based on political geography, and in still others, organization names are listed directly under the country code. As an example of a country domain, the .CA Canadian domain provides for the registration of all kinds of entities in Canada on the basis of political geography, that is, a hierarchy of .. .CA . An example would be freenet.tor.on.ca for the Freenet in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. National or provincial companies or organizations are, in theory, not given a locality or province codes. The country code domains (for example, FR, NL, KR, CA) are each organized by an manager for that country. These administrators may further delegate the management of portions of the naming tree. These administrators are performing a public service on behalf of the Internet community and are to respect the United Nations Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms. However... problems are encountered because these iTLD's are either regulated by a government controlled process or p[ossibly a closed and restricted organization. Competition from alternative International Top Level Domains is desireable. .CANADA, .CAN, .CDN or .CANNUCK would all be potential competitors to the .CA registry. .ONTARIO or .ONT and .TORONTO or .TOR would provide competition in the form of alternative provincial or locality codes 3.3 Generic Top Level Domain (gTLD) Class The Generic TLD Class contains TLD's which are represented to the public by singular or multiple registries. Unless specifically documented otherwise all new TLDs will be in this class. Existing TLDs may be delegated into this class as well. Examples of Generic Top Level Domains are .COM, .ORG, .NET, .WTV, .FCN, .WEB, .WWW, .SEX, .RADIO, .INC, .CORP, (See Appendix One). 3.4 Reserved Generic Codes TLD Codes of three charchters made up of a combination of TWO numbers (0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9) and the standard ASCII charchters are RESERVED for undetermined future use. Reserved Generic Code Examples 1ER, H8U, J89, AS8, 3HJ 3.5 Specific Top Level Domain (sTLD) Class The Specialized TLD Class describes TLDs that are industry-specific, or where a high-level of domain name control is needed. These TLD's are operated by a single registry. Registration is only open to organizations within the areas as defined in the TLDs charter. The registry must be able to address specific issues arising from the use of and delegation of a particular domain. These TLD's could represent specific industries, other closely defined market niches, or concentrated interests. An example of an existing Specific TLD in this class is .INT which is closely controlled and is only open to International Treaty Organizations. In certain instances, it may be possible for a qualifying internationally known organization to be identified on the Internet by it's own specific TLD. All second and third level domain name registrations are performed within the organization. The organization is the sole trustee of the TLD, and all disputes arising from domain name delegation are the organizations responsibility. An example of an existing TLD in this class is .MIL., which is exclusively operated by, and for, the United States military (Appendix Two). 4.0 The Internet Commission Non-sanctioned organizations have occupied the tasks of regulating Top Level Domain Names and IP number allocation. In days gone by small, informal groupa acting with the trust of a relatively small internet community could handle most Domain and IP Address issues adequately. With the massive onrush of global interest and participation on the Internet this is no longer the case. These groups must be suplanted and dissolved into a public, democratic, UN Chartered organization: The Internet Commission. Within six months from the acceptance of this draft all non-sanctioned regulatory bodies will be superceded. Previous to that date a series of Internet Commission founding conventions will be called. A steering committee will facilitate the process of consensus building. The convention will meet monthly in various locations worldwide until the work is completed. The steering committee acting to accumulate, prioritize, organize and complete convention submissions. The members of the steering committee will be drawn from UN member governments, Internet businesses, Internet User Groups, Civil and Human Rights organizations and interested and prominant individuals and organizations. All related and procedural meetings and will occur in public with full access by the press and interested observers. The convention will be held in public and will be open to everyone. 4.1 The Internet Convention will: a) Present ideas and concepts concerning the fair and orderly regulation, and preservation of the Internet as a free, global medium. b) Deliberate on the constitution of the IC and it's bylaws pursuant to the the UN Declaration on Human Rights and similar documents, due process, regular elections, terms and duties of office, conditions for recall, impeachment etc. c) Provide ideas and concrete proposals for IC funding. d) Discuss a central, global location for the central Regulating body in a nuetral, democratic nation and establish guidelines for a regular series of IC conventions worldwide. 4.2 The Steering Committeee will: a) Be disallowed from sitting as elected or appointed officials on the IC for a period of TEN (10) years after it's foundation. b) Organize and prioritize the materials presented at the founding conventions. c) Write the IC Constitution and Bylaws. d) Arrange IC funding. e) Establish the IC location and the first formal convention where elections for the various positions will be held. f) Ensure an unbiassed and utterly impecable consensus building process is adhered to. 4.3 Internet Commission Delegation The Internet Commission (IC) will be responsible for the overall coordination and management of the Domain Name System, especially the delegation of portions of the name space called top-level domains. IP number allocation and the RFC process is also under the perview of the IC. Internet Registries (IR) will handle the bulk of the day-to-day administration of the Domain Name System. Applications for new top-level domains are handled by the Domain Meta-Registry, a processing reigistry to be established by the IC. 4.4 Top Level Domain Policy When a new top-level domain is created its management will be delegated to administrative, technical and billing management. The major concern in selecting recipients for a domain is that the management be able to pay the applicable fees and meet basic technical and networking protocol requirements to be established by the Internet Commission. For each domain there be a manager that supervises the domain names and who is responsible for the operation of the domain name system. The managers must, of course, be on the Internet in some form or other. There must be Internet Protocol (IP) connectivity to the nameservers and email connectivity to the management There must be an administrative contact and a technical contact for each domain. For TLDs that are country codes at least the administrative contact must reside in the country involved. 4.5 TLD Allocation First Come First Served. The same rules will be applied to all requests and to the IC's registry service. All requests must be processed in a non-discriminatory fashion, and academic and commercial (and other) users are treated on an equal basis. No bias shall be shown regarding requests that may come from customers of some other business partnership -- e.g., no preferential service for customers of a particular data network provider. There can be no requirement that a particular mail system (or other application), protocol, or product be used. There are no requirements on subdomains of top-level domains beyond the requirements on higher-level domains themselves. That is, the requirements in this document are applied recursively. In particular, all subdomains shall be allowed to operate their own domain name servers, providing in them whatever information the subdomain manager sees fit (as long as it is true and correct). 4.5 Disagreements and Appeals The Internet commission will require all TLD registrants and applicants as well as transfered stewardships to sign waivers dis- avowing the IC of any and all legal liability arising from the use or misuse of their registries. In the event of legal challenge the IC will do nothing except respect the legl process in the specific jurisdiction within whih it is located. There is the dire need for International agreement on significant issues relating to the Internet Commission for it to function properly. 4.6 Transfer of TLD Stewardship In any transfer of the designated manager from one organization to another, the higher-level domain manager the IC must receive communications from *both* the old and the new management on an approved form that assures the IC that the transfer is mutually agreed upon. The new management assumes any and all liabilities and responsabilities and *must* sign a new waiver form before the transfer is finalized. 4.7 TLD Charters New TLDs must endeavor to be create a charter that describes the purpose of their registry. In the case of the Specialized and Corporate TLD classes, the corporation or organization acting as the registry will be responsible for creating the TLD's charter. 4.8 Shared TLD Registries Each TLD may be operated by multiple registries. It is up to the management of the TLD to regulate, co-ordinate and organize this shared process. The IC will not assume any control or interferance in this matter beyond ensuring basic minimal standards and Internet cohesiveness are respected. 5.0 Fees 5.1 Application Fee A non-refundable application fee of US$100 payable to the "Internet Commission" to be deposited in the "iTLD fund". Non-Profit or Charitable services will pay no Applicaton fees 5.2 Annual Fees 5.3 Non-Commercial Fees Non-Profit or Charitable Registries will pay nothing for their TLD's or any second Level Domain registrations. 5.4 Commercial Fees Commercial TLD services will pay an annual fee of US$ 50. A fee of US$1.00 will be paid for every subdomain registered to any commercial TLD. 6.0 Appeals The IC wil endeavor to act justly. In the absence of International treaty and national agreements an appeals process will be established. However, until these agreements are in place any appeals process will be subject to litigation - which is why the IC must endemnify itself from liability by waiver. 7. Security Considerations There are significant privacy and control of sensitive information issue that must be addressed in future. Political, commercial and social pressures may be applied to various Internet registries and the Internet Commission to the point where their free functioning are threatened. This must be addressed by international, protecting treaties and national agreements as yet undefined. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Appendix One gTLD's .EDU Colleges and universities. .NET Network Computers .ORG Miscellaneous TLD .COM Commercial entities, i.e. businesses and companies. .800 Promotion of 1-800 telephone services. .888 Promotion of 1-888 telephone services. .ALT Alternative DNS .ART Artists and Artistic institutions .AUTO Automobile .BIZ Competition for .COM .DOT One of the first TLD experiments. .EARTH An alternative domain for Earth .EUR European name service .EXP Experimental Use .FAM Family oriented, Lanminds .ZINE Electronic Magazines .RADIO Internet Radio Stations .FCN Free Community Networks .INC Competition for .COM .LAW Legal/Law related .LNX Linux Systems .LTD Competition for .COM .MALL Shopping .MED Medical related .METRO Major Bandwith Connections 10MB+ .NEWS News .NIC Network Info Center .POST Electronic Mail .SEA Seanet.com, Seattle .SEX Erotic and Adult materials .TOUR Tourism and travel. .WEB World Wide Web .WORLD International registry .USA Competition for .US .USVI US Virgin Islands .WTV Web Television Independants .XXX Erotic and Adult materials - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Appendix Two .WIRED WIRED Magazine .IDG IDG International .MIL US Armed Forces .GOV US Gov't .SKY Skyscape Communications, Inc. .AGN American Global Network ********************************************************************** ALLISAT altRFC on New Top Level Domain Name Registration NOTE : This Document is not intended to predefine or rigidly set **** the consensus making process set out in various aspects below. It is intended as an indication of potential and a general inspiration for the work and discussion ahead. ********************************************************************** Edited by Bob Allisat World TeleVirtual Network PO Box 191 Station E Toronto, ON, Canada M6H 4E2 Phone: 416-588-0670 E-Mail: tor@wtv.net This RFC Draft follows the work of Simon Higgs with contributions by many others. Many thanks to all. -BA December 6, 1996 **********************************************************************