Hi Alan Coming from the developing world, I like your idea - but am not confident that it will happen. I hope ALAC will support such a proposal, and work to make it iron-clad, so that it cannot be easily circumvented, and so that the fund does not end up assisting registrars, registries, IP lawyers, etc. to get cheaper domains. Jacqueline Alan Greenberg wrote:
On the positive side, the possible auctions of these relatively few high-profile TLDs will likely bring in a LOT of money. It has repeatedly been suggested that this wind-fall profit not be simply wrapped into ICANN general funds, or even used to offset the costs of offering new gTLDs. But rather it be used to (with appropriate caution) make it less expensive and less onerous for not-for-profits, cultural communities and developing countries folks to acquire new gTLDs.
Now THAT is something that I think At-Large should make a strong statement about.