Will New TLDs' Restrictions Negate Their Aims?

Kyle writes: "According to this story on Wired, most of the new TLDs selected by ICANN will be restricted. For example, .biz will sport a $2000 price tag with an annual $150 fee, and will be limited to verifiable, legitimate businesses with specific commercial intent. The .pro TLD will be used exclusively by certified "professionals," including doctors, lawyers, etc. If the point is to introduce competition for .com, ICANN might have missed the target. Might this exclusivity limit the popularity of new domains? If almost no one is allowed to use them, the general consumer will likely be unaware that they exist, and continue in their .com'ocentric mindset." Problem is, who says what's bona fide? Would officious rules like this allow eccentric, personal Web-museums (like the online LED Museum) into.museum?

Comments

Am I the only one here....

[scotpurl]

...who thinks that the latest ICANN decisions seemed designed to milk money out of those who can most afford to pay? Businesses, doctors, lawyers, hospitals....

Oh god, can the screw it up MORE?

[bluephone]

I had hope when ICANN was founded. When I saw that there was a FEE just to PROPOSE new TLDs, I was shocked, but thought, "Well, they have to get funding somewhere, I suppose." Then I learned that whoever recommended the accepted new TLDs got a lock (like NSI had up to a year ago) on the TLD, I was angered. Where went the idea of opening up the net? Then I learned they shot down two of what I felt to be the most important TLDs; .kids and .sex or .xxx. There could have been a lot of good done with .kids, and .sex or .xxx would have helped separate the .coms from the .cums out there. Now this. This is insane. Since I'm a professional, not a corporate entity on my own, I should be able to register a .pro for myself if I WANT to, I shouldn't have to pass some moron's arbitrary judgement.

It's official, ICANN is useless.They're just as useless as they were before they made any decisions.