- comments-org-renewal-18mar19@icann.org

[Comments-org-renewal-18mar19] In opposition to removing price limits on .org TLD
by Alex Stratoudakis April 24, 2019

April 24, 2019

I am a domain name registrant. ICANN staff should not unilaterally impose URS in legacy TLDs when that issue is precisely what is being examined by the volunteer ICANN Working Group who has been mandated to review this issue. ICANN policy making is supposed to be a ‘bottom up, multi-stakeholder model’. I believe that legacy gTLDs are fundamentally different from for-profit new gTLDs. Legacy TLDs are essentially a public trust, unlike new gTLDs which were created, bought and paid for by private interests. Registrants of legacy TLDs are entitled to price stability and predictability, and should not be subject to price increases with no maximums. Unlike new gTLDs, registrants of legacy TLDs registered their names and made their online presence on legacy TLDs on the basis that price caps would continue to exist. Unrestrained price increases on the millions of .org registrants who are not-for-profits or non-profits would be unfair to them. Unchecked price increases have the potential to result in hundreds of millions of dollars being transferred from these organizations to one non-profit, the Internet Society, with .org registrants receiving no benefit in return. ICANN should not allow one non-profit nearly unlimited access to the funds of other non-profits. ICANN appears to be entirely catering to registries by removing price caps. ICANN should stand up for the public interest and registrants! -- Alex Stratoudakis Programmer / R&D NETForge.gr

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[Comments-org-renewal-18mar19] AGAINST unlimited fee increases
by George Ellenburg April 24, 2019

April 24, 2019

I would encourage ICANN to reconsider allowing unlimited fee increases for .ORG domains. .ORG domains are unique in that they are the *only* TLD specifically created originally for non-profit purposes. They are still regularly used today by non-profit, and public-interest organizations and services to provide a public benefit and presence on the Internet. It costs next to nothing to maintain the registration for a domain since registrations are simply records in a database. Unlimited fee increases are nothing more than a cash-grab for an industry with high margins and low expenses and for an industry that increasingly provides no added value other than simply "existing". I remember the days when registering a domain required filling out a template and Emailing Network Solutions, then mailing in a check for $70 ($35 per year, minimum of 2 years) and I welcomed the industry changes that brought automation that ultimately lowered the costs for everybody. If anything, the registration and stewardship of .ORG domains should be moved to a suitable non-profit. Thank you for your consideration. -- *George M. Ellenburg* george(a)ellenburg.email <mailto:george@ellenburg.email> GeorgeEllenburg.net <https://GeorgeEllenburg.net>

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[Comments-org-renewal-18mar19] Proposed Renewal of .org Registry Agreement
by Giuseppe Graziano April 24, 2019

April 24, 2019

I am a .org registrant. I believe that legacy gTLDs are fundamentally different from for-profit new gTLDs. Legacy TLDs are essentially a public trust, unlike new gTLDs which were created, bought and paid for by private interests. Registrants of legacy TLDs are entitled to price stability and predictability, and should not be subject to price increases with no maximums. Unlike new gTLDs, registrants of legacy TLDs registered their names and made their online presence on legacy TLDs on the basis that price caps would continue to exist. Unrestrained price increases on the millions of .org registrants who are not-for-profits or non-profits would be unfair to them. Unchecked price increases have the potential to result in hundreds of millions of dollars being transferred from these organizations to one non-profit, the Internet Society, with .org registrants receiving no benefit in return. ICANN should not allow one non-profit nearly unlimited access to the funds of other non-profits. ICANN appears to be entirely catering to registries by removing price caps. ICANN should stand up for the public interest and registrants! -- IMPORTANT: Should this email contain one or more price quotes for the purchase or sale of a domain, such quotes must not be perceived as an offer to sell or purchase any domain(s), nor do they constitute a reservation of any domain(s) for purchase or sale. The pricing quotes only indicate the prices for whichLXME - Lisbon Media, Lda believes the seller or buyer of the domain(s) may accept a potential offer. No agreement shall exist for the purchase or sale of any domains unless and until a purchase agreement is executed by buyer and seller. No party shall be bound by any obligations whatsoever - including obligations based on grounds such as parol evidence, extended negotiations, “handshake” agreements, oral understandings, or courses of conduct including but not limited to reliance and changes of position - with respect to the purchase or sale of any domain(s) unless and until a purchase agreement is executed by buyer and seller. Furthermore, before a purchase agreement is executed by buyer and seller, any party may cease negotiating about the purchase or sale of the domain(s) at any time and for any reason or for no reason. This e-mail may contain privileged and confidential information and/or copyright material and is intended for the use of the addressee only. If you receive this e-mail in error please advise the sender immediately and delete this e-mail. You may not deliver, copy or disclose its contents to anyone else. Any unauthorized use may be unlawful.

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[Comments-org-renewal-18mar19] Comment of .org fees
by John Dalton April 24, 2019

April 24, 2019

The internet benefits society. The registry of domain names should not be turned in to a profiteering machine to benefit a few at the expense of many. To date ICANN has done an admirable job in administering the net. Best regards. John Dalton

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[Comments-org-renewal-18mar19] Proposed Renewal of .org Registry Agreement Feedback
by Alex Lerman April 24, 2019

April 24, 2019

I am a .org registrant. I believe ICANN staff should not unilaterally impose URS in legacy TLDs when that issue is precisely what is being examined by the volunteer ICANN Working Group who has been mandated to review this issue. ICANN policy making is supposed to be a ‘bottom up, multi-stakeholder model’. I believe that legacy gTLDs are fundamentally different from for-profit new gTLDs. Legacy TLDs are essentially a public trust, unlike new gTLDs which were created, bought and paid for by private interests. Registrants of legacy TLDs are entitled to price stability and predictability, and should not be subject to price increases with no maximums. Unlike new gTLDs, registrants of legacy TLDs registered their names and made their online presence on legacy TLDs on the basis that price caps would continue to exist. Unrestrained price increases on the millions of .org registrants who are not-for-profits or non-profits would be unfair to them. Unchecked price increases have the potential to result in hundreds of millions of dollars being transferred from these organizations to one non-profit, the Internet Society, with .org registrants receiving no benefit in return. ICANN should not allow one non-profit nearly unlimited access to the funds of other non-profits. ICANN appears to be entirely catering to registries by removing price caps. ICANN should stand up for the public interest and registrants! Thank you for your attention. Sincerely, Alexander Lerman (A concerned .org registrant)

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[Comments-org-renewal-18mar19] Do Not Eliminate Pricing Caps
by Sam Regan April 24, 2019

April 24, 2019

Pricing caps are an important part of maintaining an open and free internet. Millions of people rely on the internet daily. Open source, education, scientific research and community projects are necessary for a vibrant society, do not choose greed over people.

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[Comments-org-renewal-18mar19] increase cap at 10% must stay
by Enrico Palazzo April 24, 2019

April 24, 2019

dear sir/madam, I belong to a small organization (gijc.org) - global investigative journalists conference short gijc. domains are the equivalent of geographical adresses in cyberspace. the icann governs this space and in my opinion has a duty to protect the inhabitants from exploitation. the price cap prevents private companies from practices of holding the inhabitants of the cyberspace-adresses ransom. already established domains have little maintenance costs and even less development costs. to the scale of all domains in the org space, its is way above self sufficient for all infrastructure. since org is a space for organizations many of whom are nonprofit and small, there is an extra care that icann should apply to its proposed policy change - please don’t slash the cap. thank you kindly, enrico

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[Comments-org-renewal-18mar19] Proposed Removal of Price Caps for .org domains
by Mark Hessling April 24, 2019

April 24, 2019

Given that a significant proportion of the registrants of .org domains are volunteer or non-profit organisations, removing the price caps for .org domains is a cynical grab for money. It has nothing to do with aligning the .org agreement with the base agreement is a red herring. Please do not eliminate the opportunity for organisations in the future from being able to express their internet presence via an appropriate .org domain at an affordable price. -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------ * Mark Hessling, mark(a)rexx.org http://www.rexx.org/ * Author of THE, a Free XEDIT/KEDIT editor and, Rexx/SQL, Rexx/CURL, etc. * Maintainer of Regina Rexx interpreter * Use Rexx? join the Rexx Language Association: http://www.rexxla.org/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------

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[Comments-org-renewal-18mar19] Re.: Proposed Renewal of .org Registry Agreement
by Zyndax April 24, 2019

April 24, 2019

Regarding the Proposed Renewal of .org Registry Agreement, I find it difficult to understand the reason for eliminating the cap on the price of registration. Unless these prices are protected, market forces may well (should and would, really) lead registries to raise the prices to a degree that would prevent smaller and less well-funded organisations from obtaining .org domains. Actually, current economic theories predicts that the (for-profit) registries should raise the price to find a new equilibrium where they can get the highest profit. Please keep the cap. The internet should be an equaliser and not a profit maximiser.

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[Comments-org-renewal-18mar19] 10% Maximum Year over Year Registration Fee Increase Should Remain
by Nate DeSimone April 24, 2019

April 24, 2019

This renewal proposal does not include the 10% maximum year over year increase in registration fees found in previous registry agreements. This limit should remain in effect. Inflation of the US dollar has been substantially less than 10% for 38 years and it is extremely unlikely for it to increase above 10% in any circumstance other than economic collapse. It would therefore be impossible to classify a price increase >10% as anything other than pure rent-seeking. ICANN is ultimately accountable to the Internet community and has a moral obligation to place that community above domain registrars. ICANN is therefore duty-bound to oppose rent-seeking by the domain registrars. This is absolutely critical to protect the creativity and innovation that the Internet contributes to our modern society.

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