Minds + Machines

In case you couldn’t find it on ICANN’s site

Gathered here for ease of access are materials from ICANN relevant to applying for a new TLD. There’s a voluminous amount of material on ICANN’s site, but it’s not always easy to locate.

ICANN’s Guide to Applying for a new TLD

• The Guide, Second Draft, and redlined version. (Feb 2009, 119 pages, 1.6MB)
• Explanatory Memo on Geographic Names (Oct 2008, 9 pages, 109KB).
• Explanatory Memo on Protection of the Rights of Others (Oct 2008, 5 pages, 77KB).
• Explanatory Memo on Cost Considerations (Oct 2008, 11 pages, 517KB).
• Explanatory Memo on Morality and Public Order (Oct 2008, 6 pages, 133KB). ICANN tries to square a circle.
• Explanatory Memo: Update to DNS Stability (Feb 2009, 6 pages, 97 KB). A short paper dealing with DNS issues that may be caused by IDNs.
• Attachment to Module 2: Draft Evaluation Criteria (Feb 2009, 18 pages, 248 KB).
• Updated Explanatory Memo on String Contention. Attachment to Module 4. (Feb 2009, 34 pages, 657KB).
   

Additional Supporting Explanatory Memoranda and Materials Available as of Feb 2009

• Registry-Registrar Separation (Feb 2009, 11 pages, 132KB)
• Description of Independent Objector for Dispute Resolution (Feb 2009, 4 pages, 93KB).
• Summary of Changes in Version 2 of the Proposed Registry Agreement for New gTLDs (Feb 2009, 16 pages, 76KB).
   

Related Materials

• Final Report of the Implementation Recommendation Team (IRT). ICANN asked the people from the intellectual property/trademark group to come up with their own rules since they didn’t like anything that the rest of ICANN was proposing. Generally speaking, we support the recommendations. Minds + Machines responded to this twice: first, a direct response to the IRT’s recommendations and second, with our whitepaper advocating a looser definition of community, which would reduce trademark abuse without creating lots of new rules.
• ICANN’s Similarity Algorithm, a.k.a. “Sword Algorithm.” Excessively expensive software that evaluators will use to see if your proposed TLD conflicts with others. Current version doesn’t work well. ICANN has said (Nov 26 2008 teleconf) that it is only an “aid” to evaluators, so humans will verify the results.
• Revisiting Vertical Separation of Registries and Registrars, a.k.a. “CRAI Report” (Oct 2008, 39 pages, 495KB). Prepared by CRA International. Very useful history of the registry-registrar separation, consideration of how well it has worked, and views on whether and how this should work in the future.
• New gTLD Interactive Process Flow. Updated flash diagram on ICANN’s site. Useful for a beginning overview of the application process.
• ICANN Application Timeline. (Oct 2008, 1 page, 144 KB). A continually changing exercise in optimism. Make sure to get the latest version or check the Minds + Machines timeline.
• Consensus and Temporary Policies Specs (Oct 2008, 32 KB)
• Data Escrow Requirements (Oct 2008, 64 KB)
• Monthly Reporting Format (Oct 2008, 32 KB)
• Registration Data Publication Specs (Oct 2008, 32 KB)
• Second-level Reserved Names (Oct 2008, 28 KB)
• Right Protection Mechanism Requirements (Oct 2008, 32 KB)
   

Other Useful Materials from ICANN

• New gTLD Implementation Presentation. Oct 2008. ICANN’s introductory presentation on new gTLDs.
• Applicant Guidebook Diagram (Oct 2008, 1 page, 22 KB). Diagram of the ICANN documents related to the new TLD process.
• Q+A on Modules 1 and 2 of ICANN’s Guide – Part 1 (126KB text file or 51-page 992KB PDF). Kurt Pritz of ICANN staff answers questions at a session in Cairo.
• Q+A on Modules 1 and 2 of ICANN’s Guide – Part 2 (197KB text file or 35-page 528KB PDF). Next-day continuation of Part 1.
• Q+A on Modules 3 and 4 of ICANN’s Guide (MP3 recording of Nov 26 2008 teleconference, 18.8 MB (!). Kurt Pritz of ICANN staff answers questions on Modules 3 and 4 of the Guide. A continuation of the Q+A from the Cairo sessions.
• Current Registry Agreements for all existing gTLDs.
• Former Registry Agreements for all existing gTLDs.
• Registry Services Evaluation Policy. Defines registry services and describes the process for requesting approval of new registry services.
• Registry Services Evaluation Process. Shows registry services requests from existing registries and whether they were approved or not.
• Registry Services Workflow. Flowchart showing process for approving new registry services.
• The GNSO Calendar. Find out what’s happening when. Also transcripts and MP3s of meetings and discussions.