- UA-discuss - lists.iana.org

Public domain/MIT licensed IDN library for C
by Michael Casadevall July 2, 2019

July 2, 2019

Short version: Is anyone aware of an implementation of IDNA2008 that is in the public domain or MIT/BSD licensed? Long version: During a discussion with Paul Hoffman, we were talking about the state of IDN support in at a core programming language level, and my efforts to write a yellow paper showing the full effort required to implement support for IDNs/EAIs we talked about the licensing of libidn2. Specifically, libidn2 is dual-licensed under the GPLv2/LGPLv3. This is rather problematic for implementing IDN support in many applications coded in C/C++. GPLv2 requires that an application that uses libidn be free and open source and compatible the GPLv2 licensing terms which is impossible for any propitiatory software package, or those under a free software but non-GPL compatible license such as the CDDL. LGPLv3 in theory solves this problem, but adds even more complications. LGPL allows libidn2 to linked to proprietary software but only in the form of a shared library (dll or so) file. However, LGPLv3 requires patent grants be given to any user of said library (GPLv3 section 11). This clause adds an extremely high barrier to entry in corporate environment which involves legal questions and may not be surmountable. As we want IDN support to go as far as wide as possible, the best way to accomplish that is an IDNA2008 implementation that is entirely non-embured, either under the MIT license, another weak copyleft license, or ideally in the public domain or CC-0 licenses. I searched around and came up empty but I'm hoping the list can point me in the right direction. Michael

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Mailchimp - Part way there...
by Don Hollander July 2, 2019

July 2, 2019

See this notice in Domain Wire: https://domainnamewire.com/2019/06/28/mailchimp-has-challenges-with-non-asci i-characters/ don

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UA Engagements at ICANN65
by Sarmad Hussain June 21, 2019

June 21, 2019

Dear All, The following UA related interactions are planned for ICANN65: At Large Universal Acceptance (UA) Kickoff 8:30 - 10:15, Wed, Jun 26, 2019 Toubkal (ALAC) https://65.schedule.icann.org/meetings/1058226 GAC: Meeting with Universal Acceptance Steering Group (UASG) and GAC Subsequent Rounds of gTLDs Next Steps Discussion 13:30 - 15:00, Thu, Jun 27, 2019 Cristal (GAC) https://65.schedule.icann.org/meetings/1058193 Cross-Community High Interest Topic Policies Around Universal Acceptance 17:00 - 18:30, Thu, Jun 27, 2019 Cristal (GAC) https://65.schedule.icann.org/meetings/1058196 We look forward to your participation. Regards, Sarmad

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Invitation to Join working groups
by Dr. Ajay Data June 16, 2019

June 16, 2019

Dear colleagues, We are excited to share with you that the UASG leadership team has recently reviewed the comments and is in the process of finalizing the FY20 Action Plan shared with you all earlier (and posted at UASG.tech). We all are passionate to bring next billion people online and UA has pivotal role to achieve this goal. This can not be achieved without everyone contributing to the common action plan. Based on this plan, we would like to continue the existing working groups (WGs) and set up some new ones, which will be meeting regularly to translate the plan into real work and results on the ground. We anticipate that much of the work of UASG will continue to be undertaken by us through these working groups. The working groups include: Technology WG - Plans, coordinates and oversees work on standards, best current practices, programming languages, development tools and development platforms. Email Address Internationalization (EAI) WG - Plans, executes and oversees engagement with email software and service providers to make them EAI Ready Communications WG – Plans and develops communication strategy and oversee its execution, in collaboration with other WGs Measurements WG – Plans, oversees and directs the measurement efforts for UA readiness I am reaching out to invite you to join one or more of these working groups, based on your interests, to help in creating the relevant awareness and support for UA Readiness with the stakeholders identified. Please share your intent to join one or more WGs at https://forms.gle/GsASQhJA5rrGg6kF9 and start contributing. We really look forward to your support. Regards, Dr. Ajay Data Chair - UASG -- Sent from my Android device with XGenPlus.

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Salute to Don Hollander
by Ajay Data June 8, 2019

June 8, 2019

Hello Few years before, When I was invited to speak in ICANN to talk about EAI, since than I had pleasure of working with Don, witnessing the dedication, team spirit and focused approach for Universal Acceptance Steering Group. I was witnessing all this as a volunteer and than I was given an opportunity to be EAI co-ordinator of UASG. This allowed me to work more closely with Don to see words of wisdom and real passion in action. UASG is for everyone and making positive difference in billions of life is not an easy task. You have played an inning which is not only exemplary but your dedication, your sense of humour, your focus, and most importantly, your friendly relationship with everyone will be cherished forever. Don, You are an inspiration to me and I am so blessed to have working with you. Here is a Salute <https://uasg.tech/2019/05/uasg-salutes-don-hollander-for-his-contributions/ > to you from UASG. Thank you Don for everything. Dr. Ajay Data Chair - UASG

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Request for Comments: UASG FY20 Action Plan
by Sarmad Hussain May 23, 2019

May 23, 2019

Dear all, The UASG team has been working on developing the FY20 Action Plan. The plan organizes the UASG work to focus on the following stakeholders: 1. Technology Enablers - Organizations producing relevant standards and best current practices and providers of software programming languages, tools and frameworks 2. Technology Developers - Organizations and individuals developing and directing applications 3. Email Software and Service Providers - Organizations and individuals providing internationalized email software and services 4. Influencing Individuals - Individuals at local and international level who can help promote UA Readiness 5. Influencing Organizations - Organizations which can be used to spread the UA message more broadly 6. Government Policy Makers - Government officials, as an explicit group, are included to try to generate demand for UA Ready products and services through accessibility standards and procurement processes It is proposed that The UASG will be organized into four global working groups and a geographically focused working group. The global groups will work closely with the geographically focused group for local delivery. A. Technology B. Email Address Internationalization (EAI) C. Measurements D. Communications E. Local Initiatives The draft of the plan with details of how this work will be tentatively organized and implemented is being released for seeking input from the community. You are requested to kindly review the plan and provide your feedback by 5 June 2019. - FY20 Action Plan: https://uasg.tech/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/UASG-Plan-20190522.pdf - Feedback form: https://forms.gle/RmFxNpAHgjWQ2SmW9 This request for comments is also published on https://uasg.tech/. The feedback from the community will be taken on board to finalize the FY20 Action Plan by the UASG team. We look forward to your comments. Regards, Sarmad On behalf of UASG team

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Farewell
by Don Hollander May 23, 2019

May 23, 2019

A short note to say that after more than four years of active and direct involvement with the Universal Acceptance Steering Group I am stepping down as the Secretary General at the end of the month. I have been keen to do this for quite some time and the group now has a very detailed (nearly 100) set of actions for the next year and the newly elected leadership are well established. The administration of the program will be supported going forward by ICANN’s Sarmad Hussain who has been closely involved since the ICANN Board included Universal Acceptance as one of its five strategic objectives last year. So many people who have been along for the ride for so long to thank. The UASG will issue a formal announcement in due course and ICANN will issue a blog in the next couple of months about their vision of Universal Acceptance. Anyone who wants to contact me can reach me at kōrero(a)xn--ngpukapuka-vfb.nz<mailto:kōrero@ngāpukapuka.nz> Don Don Hollander Secretary General – UASG Skype: Don_Hollander

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Cultural Acceptance
by Roberto Gaetano May 16, 2019

May 16, 2019

Hi all. I am under the impression that we need to address one issue that is a subset of the overarching Universal Acceptance, and that is related to cultural differences. In simple words, we need to accept the fact that in different parts of the world people have different way of thinking and different priorities, and sometimes what seems logical, easy and familiar to some is strange, complicated and foreign to others. I have spent decades in software development and have often witnessed discussions on the lines of “Why can’t you use the tool in the way it has been designed?” vs “Why can’t you design the tool in the way we want to use it?”. The question I have is whether we accept the fact that some languages and scripts have features that require a different approach - and probably a more complicated solution to provide users that belong to that particular culture with a fully satisfactory user experience - and include these related issues in our to-do list. There is then a completely separate question that is “Do we have the resources to do it?”. And the follow-up question “Who does it?”. While I can understand that we might not implement solutions in the near future, I have difficulties in accepting to forget about the problem altogether. Cheers, Roberto

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One or Two Volunteers wanted to review report: UA Readiness of SSL Certificates and Signers
by Don Hollander May 15, 2019

May 15, 2019

I'm looking for one or two volunteers to review a short report on the UA Readiness of SSL Certificates. The report is just three pages so it shouldn't take too much time. If you know the topic well and are fluent in English, can you please reply to me off- the list? Thanks. Don Don Hollander Secretary General - UASG Skype: Don_Hollander

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GNSO requested deferral of IDN Guidelines 4.0 Vote - CPH / Registrants impact
by Jothan Frakes May 14, 2019

May 14, 2019

The GNSO just sent a letter to request that the vote on adoption of the IDN Guidelines 4.0 be deferred There is some UA pain that will come from these Guidelines we should be completely aware of. It is important to identify the manner in which standards can impact the contracted parties, such as the Registries and Registrars, but getting even further out the supply chain into registrants and Internet users, there are some impacts to them as well as their audiences. If the new standard causes something that was a separate registration to become a variant of another registration, or invalidates an existing registration, this is a bad outcome for the innovators, developers, and early patrons that supported the internationalization of the namespace. Part of what the objective of UA is, to my reckoning, is to increase engagement and support of coding projects that will require adoption of standards that may not immediately hold levels of RoI to them, and they are looking for reasons not to do them. These new guidelines are good - and needed - they are the result of many people's hard work, time and wisdom, and address many solutions. The approach of pushing these out is problematic. Further, there seems no recourse for those (even if statistically small) who may be impacted adversely, lose their domain, or have it be invalidated (and thus REVERSE their UA experience) There is potential impact to existing TLDs, and most notably to registrants of second level names where there are registrations using former standards that become unsupported or invalidated. A very important challenge we face with the UA effort is inspiring developers to implement IDN and EAI as we help globalize the Internet through our work. IF the approach on standards will be to invalidate some portion of the community of registrations like this, there must be attention to how this impacts existing innovators. Innovators worked to drive the standards and increase awareness - and the invalidation or deprecation of a registration that someone has carried for a number of years (some are 15+ years) is the precise opposite of a reward for early support, and it is going to send a very loud message to developers. I believe that further review is needed by registries on the technical impacts of the changes, but any delay can help ICANN and the community address the disenfranchisement factor. This should be important to UASG - we need developers to embrace the additional effort that they have to invest in their work to consider IDN, EAI and other things. -Jothan Jothan Frakes +1.206-355-0230 tel +1.206-201-6881 fax

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