On 10 November 2011 15:42, Karl Auerbach <karl@cavebear.com> wrote: The argument that supports a TLD for Wales would also argue for a TLD for
California.
Sorry, but that comparison is almost absurd. - California doesn't have its own distinct language, unique to it and shared by no other jurisdiction, such that proponents fear it's being driven to extinction (there's more justification for .cymru than .wales) - California doesn't have a vibrant political party, with members elected to Congress as well as local legislature, openly and aggressively advocating for its secession from the Union - California has a legislature with the authority to levy taxes.
And the same would hold for any division of any federalized national structure with a two-tier division of sovereignty.
Well, at least any national structure considered independent enough to have its own entries in international events such as the Commonwealth Games<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wales_at_the_Commonwealth_Games>or the FIFA World Cup <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wales_national_football_team>. In any case, as I said before.... in its current state, ".wales" is Just Another GeoTLD. If the Welsh Nationalists have their way, it would qualify for a ccTLD. And while comparisons with California might be ludicrous. I might be more inclined to consider other US states <http://texasnationalist.com/> for contrast
For instance, should there be a TLD for Aquitaine? (Probably not, but we do already have one for Catalonia.)
By ICANN's metric, anyone with the cash and the credibility can pony up the cash and ask for .aquetaine ... or .quebec ... or .kashmir ... or any other string. There's a policy in place about getting TLD names based on geographic locations. And, of course, the objection process. Without an articulation of broadly accepted principles to guide the choices
this process will end up in chaos.
What you have ... all that you have ... is in the applicant guidebook. If that's not enough.... Until now ICANN has been obsessed with creating the gTLD program. Soon enough on we can probably expect to see it obsess with cleaning up all the unintended consequences of that program (and maybe even some of the intended ones!) - Evan