News

“You can look it up” is a phrase popularized either by the humorist James Thurber or the humorous Casey Stengel, but it remains good advice, especially for some of the many who have had something to say about Vox Populi Registry. What has been said has not always been accurate and unnecessarily so. In each case, as you might guess from the opening anecdote, they could have looked it up. First, there is the matter of who and where we are. Here is what the Boston Business Journal said: “Vox Populi is a subsidiary of Canadian-based Momentous Corp., which acquired the .sucks domain name for $3 million last year.” Uh-uh. Vox Populi is a Cayman Islands company and Momentous Barbados (not Momentous Canada) was its initial investor. You can see the full picture right here: http://www.iana.org/domains/root/db/sucks.html As for the right to operate the registry, that was granted when the other two companies that had applied withdrew as a result of a private auction among the three of us. Admittedly, that is one thing you can’t look up. The specifics of the auction price, by the terms of the auction, cannot be made public. The $3 million was someone’s guess that has taken on a life of its own. Second, there is the notion that the registry’s Market Premium and Registry Premium lists are comprised of trademarks cadged from the Trademark Clearinghouse. Just one look at how the TMCH operates will allay any concerns. No registry has access to the list of marks, only confirmation that when one seeks to register, it has the bona fides. Here is what the TMCH says about that: http://www.trademark-clearinghouse.com/content/what-trademark-clearinghouse Third, there is a notion that the same domain name is available to different kinds of registrants at different recommended prices. Here is how Gary McIlraith, chief executive of NetNames, expressed it in supporting his company’s request of the European Commission to take a look: “This differentiation in price for the same domain, which is determined by whether you are a brand holder or an individual, has created an uneven playing field.” We have tried to make it clear, from the day we launched Sunrise, that this is not the case. Just take a look at the products page at the registry’s website, https://www.registry.sucks/products Different names may have different suggested prices, but not for different registrants. Unless, fourth, you conflate our search for a partner to operate a consumer advocate subsidy program which is also often misrepresented as being an offering of the registry. Here is how the Vancouver Sun said it: “Starting next fall, Vox Populi will be offering dot-sucks domains to consumers who want to host a forum discussion website, with the domain holders offered a free, hosted website. The company expects the price for consumers will drop below $10 US.” Whether a registration is subsidized, the price to the registrar and registry is unaffected. That is the nature of a subsidy. Neither is the program to be offered by the registry. We are talking to a number of free speech advocates and domain name companies to find the right partner. When we do, likely sometime in the Fall, we will make sure that the information is clear and available so that, well, you can look it up.

There has been quite a bit said about the Consumer Advocate Subsidy program we want to see launched in the Fall. It will reduce the ultimate cost of a dotSucks name to make them more accessible to individuals, adding energy to the registry as a platform for criticism and protest. Lost in the swirl of all that attention, though, is another program, one that will be run by the registry. It is our “Trailblazers’ Program.” We had thought to focus the Vox Populi Registry’s “Trailblazers’ Program” on partnering with registrants who already operate communities at addresses including the word “sucks,” but somewhere to left of the dot. Think cancersucks.com. It is clear, though, that the arrival of dotSucks names has spurred the imagination and stimulated innovation. For this reason the program ought to have room for registrants who want to create a community. Now it does. Our “Trailblazers’ Program” invites sites to relocate or build upon the emerging community of criticism, commentary and customer service to be found in the dotSucks domain space. A statement of interest, sent to support@registry.sucks, is all it takes. Just answer these five (5) questions: What community do you seek to champion? How would operating with a dotSucks site help you succeed? How extensive are your connections in the designated community? Is the designated community’s current presence on the Internet diffuse, emerging or strong? Why is this your passion? Each applicant will be judged on the merit of its mission, reach of its community, diversity of its approach and plan to leverage its new address. As noted above, we are looking for a mix of sites that can rally a community of criticism, commentary or of customer service. Once selected, we will work with these Trailblazers to help publicize and promote their effort as well as ease the burden of their start-up costs. Options open to us are extending a payment schedule without interest or deferring the registration and renewal costs for as period up to two years. Applicants may have additional ideas which should be appended to the statement of interest. It is clear the dotSucks names have struck a chord with people, institutions and advocacy groups. Our “Trailblazers’ Program” is an effort to accelerate the adoption of the new names in support of the passions, problems, causes and opportunities that drive us all.

UK-based mobile network operator, Three (www.three.co.uk) launched in 2003, but it is only now that they seem to be willing to say what mobile customers have been saying since, well, since there were mobile network operators: The mobile industry sucks. Not only are they willing to say so, they are also willing to commit to making it right. It is a bold campaign — if one looks only as far a the self-incriminating nature of it. Look deeper and you will find a message that has to resonate with the people who most use their mobile phones. It resonates because it is true and spoken in a language familiar to them. Sucks long ago lost it power as a perjorative. It is a now a point-of-emphasis, a call to action. And in Three’s case, a rally cry for those who have been too long under the thumb (pun intended) of mobile network operators who may know but won’t say.