<html><head></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div>Just got an e-mail in from AUDA, they have released their draft recommendations;</div><div><br></div><div><br></div><a href="http://www.auda.org.au/new2ldsap/new2ldsap-index/">http://www.auda.org.au/new2ldsap/new2ldsap-index/</a><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Helvetica; "><b>conf.au</b></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Helvetica; ">2.7<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Of the two proposals to reactivate conf.au, one (Walsh) supports the narrow focus of the original 2LD on conferences and exhibitions, while the other (Tearle) suggests that the 2LD could be expanded to include a wider range of events. Both proponents argue that the utility of conf.au has already been demonstrated through past use (eg. linux.conf.au, bestforwomen.conf.au).</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Helvetica; ">2.8<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>The Panel notes that the majority of responses to the online survey were from people who wanted to express their support for the reactivation of conf.au, and of those, the majority focused specifically on the continuation of linux.conf.au.</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Helvetica; ">2.9<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Notwithstanding the enthusiastic support of the Linux community, the Panel does not believe that there is sufficient evidence of general user demand for the reactivation of conf.au. As noted above in relation to event.au, the Panel’s own attempt to consult with the peak body for Australian conference organisers was unsuccessful.</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Helvetica; ">2.10<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>Two Panel members do not agree with the majority view, and their minority opinion is provided at Attachment A.</div></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Helvetica; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Helvetica; "><b>2.11</b><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"><b> </b></span><b>The Panel acknowledges that the Linux conference has established a long-standing online identity through the use of linux.conf.au. The Panel notes that it is not within its terms of reference to make recommendations with respect to specific domain names, however its view is that there is a strong case for grandfathering linux.conf.au.</b></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Helvetica; "><br></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Helvetica; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Helvetica; color: rgb(255, 18, 22); "><b>Draft Recommendation 2C:</b></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Helvetica; color: rgb(255, 18, 22); "><b><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Helvetica; color: rgb(255, 18, 22); "><b>That conf.au should not be reactivated by auDA.</b></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Helvetica; color: rgb(255, 18, 22); "><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#FF1216"><b><br></b></font></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Helvetica; color: rgb(255, 18, 22); "><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#FF1216"><b><br></b></font></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Helvetica; color: rgb(255, 18, 22); "><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#000000"><font class="Apple-style-span" color="#FF1216"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal; "><b><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Helvetica; color: rgb(255, 18, 22); "><b><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Helvetica; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: normal; font-size: medium; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Helvetica; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Helvetica; "><b><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Helvetica; "><b>ATTACHMENT A</b></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Helvetica; "><b><br></b></div></b></div></div></div></b></div></b></span></b></font></font></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Helvetica; color: rgb(255, 18, 22); "><b><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Helvetica; color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-weight: normal; font-size: medium; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Helvetica; "><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Helvetica; "><b>MINORITY OPINION REGARDING CONF.AU</b></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Helvetica; "><b><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Helvetica; "><b><br></b></div></b></div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Helvetica; ">Two Panel members are inclined to agree with arguments put forward by respondents to the Discussion Paper, that the apparent lack of demand for conf.au may be explained by one or all of the following factors:</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Symbol; ">• •</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Symbol; ">•</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Helvetica; ">the fact that conf.au has been unavailable since auDA took over; the original policy of short term registrations, forcing registrants to re-register their domain name every year; the poor service provided by the previous administrator of conf.au.</div><div style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; font: normal normal normal 11px/normal Helvetica; ">If conf.au was reactivated in line with standard auDA policies (ie. 2 year registrations, service provided by accredited registrars), then the Panel members believe that conf.au may fill a gap in the market for events-related domain names.</div></div></div></b></div></b></div></div></div></body></html>