webhosting.co.uk sold for USD$500K

[snoopy]

True snoopy, but that doesn't mean it is the right thing to do or that they should be allowed to do it. I think this may be settled by a class action lawsuit if Nominet go ahead with their proposal.

I don't think there is much of a history on new extensions being blocked by lawsuits. The main losers are domainers and they tend to not like putting money into things like this.

However if Nominet do get away with what they propose, I reckon within a period of time .co.uk in the secondary market will be worth virtually nil once .uk is out. Once Google/Amazon etc use .uk it will be game over for .co.uk holders.

I own only one .co.uk, paid few thousand at a drop service for it, but unless I acquire the .uk version it will be worthless imo. Also I was about to develop the site and that has now been shelved until we see what happens.

It this kind of thing that will cause fairly big value drops I think. I think the value will halve, you think value will drop to zero, another guy might think nothing will happen. Put those three types of people in an auction for a .co.uk and the end result is a pretty decent value fall.

Agree also about some people shelving ideas (probably mainly domainers), I think also some people will be put off paying a premium for .co.uk in the aftermarket because of the uncertainty, or go in with a lower budget.

the have an obligation to protect domain holders not damage them, they are the registry after all, charged with protecting the UK name space and it's holders.

Do they? I don't think they have any obligation to protect domain values or help speculators.

Here is their overview, doesn't say anything about "protecting" domain holders,

http://www.nominet.org.uk/whoweare/whatwedo/overview

 

[Friday]

Chris there is a simple solution, that should not cost registrants a single penny, all .com.au should become .au. Whether a user a types in gardentools.com.au or gardentools.au should not matter it should resolve to the one website.

Eventually, .au would gain precedence as a proper first level domain.

If it is not addressed properly then investment in the .au web space will wither as investors hold back knowing that auDA could one day pull a Nominet stunt and wipe out a large portion of the asset value of .com.au over night.

For the most part, all .com.au holders should automatically get .au. There may be in some few cases where a net.au have more of a right to the .au over a .com.au and a system could be put in place too handle any such complaints.

However and in the meantime owners with great domains like Perth.com.au must wonder just when is auDA going to do the same and there business might get wiped out by some obscure TM holder claiming Perth.au .

Australia(auDA) should and needs to move forward with first level domains in a fair and equitable, domain holders should lead the way.

 

[snoopy]

Chris there is a simple solution, that should not cost registrants a single penny, all .com.au should become .au. Whether a user a types in gardentools.com.au or gardentools.au should not matter it should resolve to the one website.

Eventually, .au would gain precedence as a proper first level domain.

That sounds,

BAD for AUDA
BAD for Regisitrars
GOOD for Domainers,

What chance does something like that have of happening?

As I said though if domainers push the issue the outcome will not be good.

If it is not addressed properly then investment in the .au web space will wither as investors hold back knowing that auDA could one day pull a Nominet stunt and wipe out a large portion of the asset value of .com.au over night.

The issue won't ever be address until it is brought in, that is the only way of resolving it. AUDA could say they have no plans to do it & changes their minds in a year. The value danger is them doing anything though, even talking about it.

For the most part, all .com.au holders should automatically get .au. There may be in some few cases where a net.au have more of a right to the .au over a .com.au and a system could be put in place too handle any such complaints.

Should/right/fair/equitable - Forget about these words, they mean nothing. What is likely, that is what counts.

However and in the meantime owners with great domains like Perth.com.au must wonder just when is auDA going to do the same and there business might get wiped out by some obscure TM holder claiming Perth.au .

Australia(auDA) should and needs to move forward with first level domains in a fair and equitable, domain holders should lead the way.

It is only domainers that are going to be worrying about it.

 

[Friday]

Here is their overview, doesn't say anything about "protecting" domain holders,

http://www.nominet.org.uk/whoweare/whatwedo/overview

Not being pedantic or anything but they are supposed to be a not-for-profit registry with a public purpose agenda. To go ahead and displace the existing 10,000,000 .co.uk domain holders will cause both business and financial harm. I think a court will decide the outcome on this matter yet. Let's wait and see. One thing is certain, if Nominet pull this off it will only be a matter of time befor auda do the same.

 

[snoopy]

Not being pedantic or anything but they are supposed to be a not-for-profit registry with a public purpose agenda. To go ahead and displace the existing 10,000,000 .co.uk domain holders will cause both business and financial harm. I think a court will decide the outcome on this matter yet. Let's wait and see. One thing is certain, if Nominet pull this off it will only be a matter of time befor auda do the same.

It won't displace anyone.

 

[neddy]

Why would AUDA not auction names in similar circumstances? Any administrator would, AUDA have done it before & they love money, perfect empire building opportunity.

Agreed. Despite the ongoing assurances from auDA that they are not even entertaining a move to .au (this question was asked of the CEO of auDA this week at the AGM), I believe it is only a matter of time before this becomes a reality. This is the opinion of a few respected registrars as well.

Time frame? There is no appetite for it yet; and it would have to go through a Names Panel, so imho it won't happen in the next 5 years. But I do believe it will ultimately happen.

all .com.au should become .au. Whether a user a types in gardentools.com.au or gardentools.au should not matter it should resolve to the one website.

<snip>

For the most part, all .com.au holders should automatically get .au. There may be in some few cases where a net.au have more of a right to the .au over a .com.au and a system could be put in place too handle any such complaints.

First of all, welcome Friday. Looking forward to your intro.

You raise some good points, but I don't think the above will ever happen. Too many competing factors - TM holders; .net.au holders etc.

In simple terms, I think they will have a sunrise period where TM holders will have first go; then the holders of the .com.au and .net.au will have to put in bids.

So the message is get yourself a TM; and own both the .com.au and .net.au!

One thing is certain, if Nominet pull this off it will only be a matter of time befor auda do the same.

I agree with you - as per my reply to Snoopy. But we're still quite a few years off. There again, Nominet may well and truly fu*k it up, and that will deter it happening here for an even longer period!

 

[chris]

Well said Ned, I agree. I think these sorts of changes are inevitable, it's just how it will work and the timeframes in which it will happen that are the unknowns.

It's still a long way off and by the time these sorts of things are rolled out there will probably be even bigger disruptions businesses will have to adapt to (search, local, mobile, social etc.). The only constant is change sill holds true.

Cheers,
Chris