Don’t Panic; Don’t Panic!

I know I’m giving away my advanced years, but I thought these two snippets from the classic Dad’s Army could well sum up the feelings of some domain owners with regards the discussion on direct registrations.

Personally, I’m in the Corporal Jones camp. 😀

But I do know that some people feel like Private Frazer – however, if you read below, then hopefully this will allay your fears. 😉

And the reason I say that is having spent 10 months on the Names Panel, it was always acknowledged by this panel that there had to be “recognition of existing registrants”. This was part of the final recommendation to the auDA Board (the whole report was accepted by them). Bolding is mine.

Implementation Issues

The Panel is very aware that its Terms of Reference specifically exclude consideration of potential implementation mechanisms for direct registrations, and it has been careful to observe this constraint during its deliberations. However, it has not been possible for Panel members to avoid completely any discussion of implementation, given the complex nature of the issues under consideration and the simple fact that the circumstances in which direct registrations would be introduced makes a major difference to people’s views on the subject.

Whilst acknowledging that implementation will be a matter for auDA to determine should it approve this recommendation, and through processes which it would develop, Panel members are keen to alert the auDA Board to particular issues that they believe should be considered:

Recognition of existing registrants.

The Panel was struck by the significant number of submissions and survey responses which emphasised the importance of allowing existing registrants to have priority access / first right of refusal to the matching .au name. Further, the Panel notes that the majority of ccTLDs which have moved from a 2LD hierarchy to direct registrations have provided some form of recognition of existing registrants. Panel members acknowledge that this approach would tend to conflict with the fundamental ‘no hierarchy of rights’ principle underpinning the .au domain space, however it is felt that not affording any prior rights to existing registrants would be considered to be unreasonable and unfair, and that for most respondents some priority of access to the directly‐registered form of their domain name would be a condition of support for the change.

So my advice to everyone is not to panic – there is a long, long way to travel in this matter. Nominet had three goes of getting implementation right (after vociferous objections to their first couple of suggestions). auDA is aware of this.

Have a read of my article “Trials And Tribulations Of .UK”