This language is quoted from the Industry Standard
article, and seems to present the nub of the problem.
"The registrar is akin to the retailer of domain names
to the public and that is where the competition will be
launched initially. The registry function is akin to the
wholesaler and the registry for the popular .com, .net
and .org domains will be operated by NSI under contract
with the government through the year 2000."
If NSI is to administer the registry function through the
year 2000 and five other registrars will have come on
board during that time, regardless of the fancy language
which says that NSI shall keep the registry and its own
registrar functions separate, there is such a blatant
conflict of interest that NTIA ought to void that contract
at once as being contrary to the public interest, and
they ought to fire the idiot that drafted it. Does NTIA
not have even the slightest understanding of the
workings of the commercial marketplace?
Bill Lovell
