Domain Names Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Precedence: bulk This is a multi-part message in MIME format.
------=_NextPart_000_0023_01C172C2.89D6EB70 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable To all Members of the IETF:=20 On behalf of Internet Driver (ID), I would like to thank all of those = who took the time to respond to our open letter. Although the tone of = some responses were less than kind, I recognize the validity of two = recurring themes, and the frustration inspired by both:=20 (1) we did not submit an Internet Draft and, therefore, failed to = formally participate in the IETF process and (2) translation algorithms = are difficult and we offered few details on how our system handles the = unique issues involved in translating URLs (abbreviations, nonsense = words, combined words, phrases, characters, etc.). In retrospect, I'm sorry we did not formally participate in the IETF = process although we have made several informal attempts to reach out to = various individuals and explain our system. When Paul Hoffman told us = "proprietary solutions have no place in the global Internet," we = interpreted it to mean that we would not be considered as the IDN = standard. Now that John Klensin and others have invited us into the = process in good faith, we look forward to submitting an Internet Draft = that explains our translation engine and backs up our claims that our = system addresses all major issues in enabling the full use of the DNS = for all character scripts. The basic premise of our open letter is that Unicode-based non-ASCII = script conversion into otherwise meaningless DNS-compliant strings = creates a global Web fractured by character script, because users of one = character script will not be able to directly access website or email = addresses registered in other character scripts. In fact, users would = have to re-register their domain names and email addresses in every = language to be fully accessible to all other Internet users. Paul = Hoffman's first response to our open letter basically said he hoped we = were just ignorant rather than intentionally lying to people for = personal gain because "[t]he current IETF proposals have none of the = problems you accuse them of."=20 If Paul Hoffman is right and users of different character scripts will = be able to access each other's URLs (including email and sub-domains), = our open letter is largely moot. If he is not right, I think it is = clear that our open letter has served the important interest of bringing = a critical policy issue to the attention of others including an = influential member of the Internet community. Open letters and PR = activity may not help technical analysis but they often promote the = exchange of ideas, which can't be a bad thing.=20 I believe once the IETF and the Internet community have an opportunity = to review the specifics of our system it will become clear that our = intentions are genuine and our technology is innovative and = comprehensive in its approach. Once implemented for all character = scripts, the ID technology will allow all users to access all domains, = email addresses and sub-domains directly using their native script, = regardless of the script in which the address is registered. I will post ID's Internet Draft as soon as possible and plan to make it = available well in advance of the IETF meeting in December. Although we = have already missed the official deadline, I hope our system will be = considered in Salt Lake City. Procedural rules can be waived in the = interest of substantive progress. Regardless, we will attend the meeting = and provide demonstrations of our technology ready for beta test shortly = in Hebrew, Japanese, Chinese (Simplified), and Korean. The proof of = pudding is in the eating -- and we will be armed with more than just an = Internet Draft; we'll come with a system that fundamentally is built and = working. =20 We believe the IETF serves an extremely important function; thoughtful = review of technology and selection of standards that bring order to the = Internet. At the same time, we believe that if the IETF chooses a = standard that does not deliver the same critical functional benefits = provided by an alternative technology, the marketplace will ultimately = make the superior technology the de facto standard.=20 We look forward to participating in the process in the coming weeks and = months. Sincerely, Steve Klein CEO, Internet Driver =20 [EMAIL PROTECTED] =20 ------=_NextPart_000_0023_01C172C2.89D6EB70 Content-Type: text/html; charset="iso-8859-1" Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable <!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META content=3D"text/html; charset=3Diso-8859-1" = http-equiv=3DContent-Type> <META content=3D"MSHTML 5.00.3315.2870" name=3DGENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=3D#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>To all Members of the IETF:=20 <P class=3DMsoNormal>On behalf of Internet Driver (ID), I would like to = thank all=20 of those who took the time to respond to our open letter.<SPAN=20 style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Although the tone of some = responses were=20 less than kind, I recognize the validity of two recurring themes, and = the=20 frustration inspired by both: </P> <P class=3DMsoNormal>(1) we did not submit an Internet Draft and, = therefore,=20 failed to formally participate in the IETF process and (2) translation=20 algorithms are difficult and we offered few details on how our system = handles=20 the unique issues involved in translating URLs (abbreviations, nonsense = words,=20 combined words, phrases, characters, etc.).</P> <P class=3DMsoNormal>In retrospect, I’m sorry we did not formally = participate in=20 the IETF process although we have made several informal attempts to = reach out to=20 various individuals and explain our system. When Paul Hoffman told us=20 “proprietary solutions have no place in the global = Internet,” we interpreted it=20 to mean that we would not be considered as the IDN standard.<SPAN=20 style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Now that John Klensin and = others have=20 invited us into the process in good faith, we look forward to submitting = an=20 Internet Draft that explains our translation engine and backs up our = claims that=20 our system addresses all major issues in enabling the full use of the = DNS for=20 all character scripts.</P> <P class=3DMsoNormal>The basic premise of our open letter is that = Unicode-based=20 non-ASCII script conversion into otherwise meaningless DNS-compliant = strings=20 creates a global Web fractured by character script, because users of one = character script will not be able to directly access website or email = addresses=20 registered in other character scripts.<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: = yes"> =20 </SPAN>In fact, users would have to re-register their domain names and = email=20 addresses in every language to be fully accessible to all other Internet = users.<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Paul = Hoffman’s first=20 response to our open letter basically said he hoped we were just = ignorant rather=20 than intentionally lying to people for personal gain because = “[t]he current IETF=20 proposals have none of the problems you accuse them of.” </P> <P class=3DMsoNormal>If Paul Hoffman is right and users of different = character=20 scripts will be able to access each other’s URLs (including email = and=20 sub-domains), our open letter is largely moot.<SPAN=20 style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>If he is not right, I think it = is clear=20 that our open letter has served the important interest of bringing a = critical=20 policy issue to the attention of others including an influential member = of the=20 Internet community.<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Open = letters=20 and PR activity may not help technical analysis but they often promote = the=20 exchange of ideas, which can’t be a bad thing. </P> <P class=3DMsoNormal>I believe once the IETF and the Internet community = have an=20 opportunity to review the specifics of our system it will become clear = that our=20 intentions are genuine and our technology is innovative and = comprehensive in its=20 approach.<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>Once = implemented for all=20 character scripts, the ID technology will allow all users to access all = domains,=20 email addresses and sub-domains directly using their native script, = regardless=20 of the script in which the address is registered.</P> <P class=3DMsoNormal>I will post ID’s Internet Draft as soon as = possible and plan=20 to make it available well in advance of the IETF meeting in December. = Although=20 we have already missed the official deadline, I hope our system will be=20 considered in Salt Lake City.<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> =20 </SPAN>Procedural rules can be waived in the interest of substantive = progress.=20 Regardless, we will attend the meeting and provide demonstrations of our = technology ready for beta test shortly in Hebrew, Japanese, Chinese=20 (Simplified), and Korean.<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> = </SPAN>The proof=20 of pudding is in the eating -- and we will be armed with more than just = an=20 Internet Draft; we’ll come with a system that fundamentally is = built and=20 working.<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN></P> <P class=3DMsoNormal>We believe the IETF serves an extremely important = function;=20 thoughtful review of technology and selection of standards that bring = order to=20 the Internet.<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> </SPAN>At the same = time, we=20 believe that if the IETF chooses a standard that does not deliver the = same=20 critical functional benefits provided by an alternative technology, the=20 marketplace will ultimately make the superior technology the de facto = standard.=20 </P> <P class=3DMsoNormal>We look forward to participating in the process in = the coming=20 weeks and months.</P> <P class=3DMsoNormal>Sincerely,</P> <P class=3DMsoNormal>Steve Klein</P> <P class=3DMsoNormal>CEO, Internet Driver<SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: = yes"> =20 </SPAN></P> <P class=3DMsoNormal><A=20 href=3D"mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]";>[EMAIL PROTECTED]</A></P >= <P class=3DMsoNormal><SPAN style=3D"mso-spacerun: yes"> =20 </SPAN></P></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML> ------=_NextPart_000_0023_01C172C2.89D6EB70--
