Further to the call earlier today/yesterday, Please find below two items from the gathering held at ICANN”s offices in Washington, DC earlier this year:
1) The notes from the gathering held in Washington, DC - January 22, 2015
2) The second is a list of stakeholders and channels that were developed during a round of ‘brainstorming’ along with ranking of impact and ability to contact The vision was that the low hanging fruit would be pursued first.
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Dear colleagues,
Thank you for your participation in today’s meeting and for putting such a great effort on this task.
Please see below my notes from today’s meeting and let me know if I missed/misrepresented something. I’ve also attached the original notes in Mind Manager in case it is of interest.
Kurt, please note that you have been suggested as the leader for the marketing/communications sub-committee, would you agree to lead? Also, would you please indicate who else from DNA will participate in this sub-committee.
Jordyn and Brent would you please indicate who from Google will participate in the high-priority issues sub-committee. Same for the communications sub-committee. Also, who will lead the high-priority issues sub-committee.
Jan, Paul, M3, or Mark, would you please indicate who from Microsoft will participate in the communications sub-committee.
I’m creating 4 mailing list (one for each sub-committee and one more for the whole group). I’ll send email once they are ready.
Regards,
--
Francisco.
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UA Initiative meeting of 2015-01-22
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1 Next steps
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1.1 Form a sub-committee to define how to go about an steering committee for the initiative
1.1.1 Members: Ram, Christian Dawson, Edmon, Jan, Kurt
1.1.2 Christian to lead
1.2 Form a sub-committee to prepare one of the high priority issues
1.2.1 Members: Kurt, Don, Richard, Mark, Google
1.2.2 Google to lead
1.3 Form a marketing/communications sub-committee to start working on the messaging
1.3.1 Members: Google, DNA, Edmon, Diana, Microsoft, Kurt
1.3.2 Kurt to lead
1.3.3 The committee will propose how to communicate about this meeting
1.4 ICANN to help setup a 60-min meeting in Singapore before the public UA session
1.5 ICANN to create mailing lists: UA-discuss, UA-committee-formation, UA-priority-issues, UA-comms
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2 Who are the stakeholders that need to engage on improving UA support?
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2.1 Doers
2.1.1 DNS hosting industry
2.1.2 Software developers
2.1.2.1 Software library/framework providers
2.1.2.2 Open source communities
2.1.2.3 Application developers (including browsers)
2.1.3 System integrators (e.g., Accenture)
2.1.4 Certificate Authorities
2.1.5 Registries
2.1.5.1 ccTLDs
2.1.5.2 gTLDs
2.1.6 Service providers (e.g., Facebook, Twitter, SFDC)
2.1.6.1 Top providers
2.1.6.2 Rest of providers
2.1.7 Web hosting industry
2.1.8 Registrars
2.1.9 Protocol/standard development bodies (e.g., W3C, IETF)
2.1.10 ISPs
2.1.11 Reseller (registrar reseller)
2.1.12 Security Community (secure IDN rollout)
2.2 Influencers
2.2.1 Governments
2.2.2 Bloggers
2.2.3 Talk leaders
2.2.4 Industry leaders
2.2.5 UNESCO
2.2.6 Hardware vendors
2.2.6.1 Network/equipment vendors
2.2.6.2 Other HW vendors
2.2.7 Security community
2.2.8 I* community
2.2.9 Educators/universities
2.2.9.1 Texbook authors/editorials
2.2.9.2 Online tutorials
2.2.9.3 Other educators
2.2.10 Chambers of commerce
2.2.11 Protocol/standard development bodies
2.2.12 CIO/CTO associations
2.2.13 Computer societies
2.2.14 ITU
2.2.15 GNSO
2.2.16 GSM association
2.2.17 Domain industry associations
2.2.18 System integrators (e.g., Accenture)
2.2.19 Registries and Registrars
2.2.19.1 ccTLD space
2.2.19.2 gTLD space
2.3 Channels
2.3.1 Media
2.3.2 Organize hackathons
2.3.3 Social media
2.3.4 Industry events
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3 ICANN’s role
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3.1 Coordinator
3.2 Catalyst
3.3 Identify relationships between ideas and people
3.4 Coordinate meetings/sessions etc. globally and regionally to
3.4.1 Define problem sets
3.4.2 Bring together stakeholders
3.5 Support and manage work streams
3.6 Project manage and publish outcomes
3.7 Budget to support the initiative
3.8 Convener
3.9 Arbitror of official message points
3.10 Have a community committee to oversee the initiative
3.10.1 Jordyn: the work should be mostly done by the industry/community instead of an official WG
3.10.2 Ram: proposed to consider the model used to create the IDN guidelines in which the community provides a sort of steering committee/board of directors
3.10.3 Jordyn: use such "steering committee" to coordinate rather than do actual work
3.11 Endorser of the effort
3.12 Enabler of the effort
3.13 Coordinate efforts done by other entities (e.g., avoid duplications)
3.14 Tracking UA issues identified
3.15 Use CEO-level contact with community and leaders to promote UA support
3.16 Consolidate, summarize, package information available on the topic to aid the distribution
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4 Inventory of non-ICANN efforts
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4.1 EURid report
4.2 APTLD
4.3 CENTR
4.4 DNA
4.4.1 Developing open-source tools
4.4.2 Problem reporting
4.4.3 Advice page
4.4.4 Data gathering
4.5 FairWinds partners group on UA
4.5.1 Data gathering
4.6 IDN ccTLDs
4.6.1 SaudiNIC IDN assessment project
4.6.2 CDNC
4.7 Forums
4.7.1 NamesCon
4.7.2 Middle East DNS Forum
4.7.3 Beyond the dot
4.7.4 Dominos conference
4.7.5 Forum organized by .thai (IDN)
4.8 Google
4.8.1 Toolkit development for IDN testing
4.8.2 EAI implementation
4.9 Afilias
4.9.1 EAI implementation
4.10 Coremail
4.10.1 EAI implementation
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5 Messaging
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5.1 The message for developers should have new gTLDs before IDNs
5.2 To the rest of the world the IDN message should come before the ASCII gTLDs since it is more attractive
5.3 Message should be less technical and easy to understand for the general public
5.4 Position the message as one inclusive Internet
5.4.1 ICANN communications department can help prepare communication points
5.4.2 Consider whether UA is the right way to call the initiative when positioning it
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6 What type of work is needed to improve UA?
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6.1 Phil: we should consider not only what but also who needs to do the work
6.2 Phil: how many complaints are being received regarding UA issues?
6.3 Chris D.: the business case may be better with IDNs than with brand TLDs
6.4 Phil: if there were a big player (e.g., gmail) moved to a brand TLD it would make a big impact
6.5 Jordyn: the business case is better made re: the next billion Internet users coming from non-ASCII users
6.6 Jordyn: once/if we have convinced companies to support UA, they may need information on how to go about it
6.7 Elaine: doesn't matter which type of TLD doesn't work, it's the underlying platforms and technology that must be fixed
6.8 Chris Cowherd: the least common denominator is the software developer. Understanding how they work and where they look for solutions is key. Although top down will have some effect, botttom up may be more effective.
6.9 Kurt: in the long-term supporting UA there is a business case re: loosing business, but in the short-term it is more about reputation; those that support UA can position themselves as leaders
6.10 Edmon: we need to convene those that know to come up with guidelines on how to go about support UA
6.11 Chris Cowherd: The first thing a developer does when given a general problem is query Google. (i.e. validate email address python). Very likely, question/answer sites (i.e. StackOverflow) are the top result. Developers will jump right to the "answer" (correct or not) and use it, then move on. One task for this group is to get these answers corrected or provide our own. Doing this does require some organization but it only takes a few seeds to be planted to spread.
6.12 Phil: develop toolkits to help people support UA
6.13 Edmon: rather than toolkits, guidelines may be more useful given the big difference in how software is coded/works
6.14 Don: we should have tests for developers to use
6.15 Brent: it would be difficult to develop toolkits given the differences in approaches in software development, guidelines may be better, at least at first
6.16 Brent: the message is different for small and big organizations, we may need to prioritize which to target first
6.17 Chris D.: supports the idea of a central repository of reported issues
6.18 Brent: would there be someone following the tickets or would it be merely a repository?
6.19 Cyrus: the biggest issue from an strategic issue is the lack of business case for companies to go about fixing their systems
6.20 Ram: agrees that one size does not fit all
6.21 Ram: Afilias at some point developed a toolkit . Then realized that would not be adopted. Putting together guidelines and sample code would be better
6.22 Ram: The pitch work with C-level executives for UA support seemed to work better for Afilias at small organization than at big organizations
6.23 Ram: it took 2-3 years for Aflias to have have .info go from almost not accepted anywhere to almost everywhere
6.24 Ram: once ISPs understood that they were denying access to some of their users, they took action
6.25 Ram: the biggest resistance comes at the developer level rather than the C-level given the excess of workload
6.26 Chris D.: the issue has to be communicated to the C-level in order to successful
6.27 Jordyn: we need both the C-level interaction and the information available for those that would the work
6.28 Kurt: there are two awareness problems: 1) general awareness of the new gTLD program; and 2) UA awareness
6.29 Jordyn: make available to users with UA issues a "communication toolkit" re: how to report these issues
6.30 Ram: the message shouldn't be about whether new gTLDs will succeed or not
6.31 Edmon: we need to develop the materials need to support communication effort
6.32 Ram: the decision about supporting UA would not likely reach the CEO, at most, it will reach the CTO/CIO and going about lack of compatibility is a better argument
6.33 Richard: the argument has to be made about value for the customer
6.34 Richard: the argument could me made similar to the one for IPv6: lack of connectivity/reachibility for users of new gTLDs
6.35 Kurt: using trade associations may be useful as DNA did with BITS for US banks
6.36 Kurt: the compatibility argument is the best one: fix your systems once and for all, not just for this round of new gTLDs
6.37 Don: it would be useful if Google would make available the issues/decision points found while working on implementing IEA
6.38 Kurt: we should do in order: awareness, tool kit, messaging, then contact
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7 Participants
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7.1 Chris Cowherd <chris(a)donuts.co <mailto:chris@donuts.co>>
7.2 Diana Moltrup <dmoltrup(a)apple.com <mailto:dmoltrup@apple.com>>
7.3 Jan Nelson <Jan.Nelson(a)microsoft.com <mailto:Jan.Nelson@microsoft.com>>
7.4 Gwen Carlson <gwen.carlson(a)icann.org <mailto:gwen.carlson@icann.org>>
7.5 Paul Mitchell <Paul.Mitchell(a)microsoft.com <mailto:Paul.Mitchell@microsoft.com>>
7.6 Elaine Pruis <elaine(a)donuts.co <mailto:elaine@donuts.co>>
7.7 Cyrus Namazi <cyrus.namazi(a)icann.org <mailto:cyrus.namazi@icann.org>>
7.8 Edmon Chung <edmon(a)dot.asia <mailto:edmon@dot.asia>>
7.9 Don Hollander <don(a)i2.org.nz <mailto:don@i2.org.nz>>
7.10 Brent London <brentlondon(a)google.com <mailto:brentlondon@google.com>>
7.11 Phil Lodico <phil.lodico(a)fairwindspartners.com <mailto:phil.lodico@fairwindspartners.com>>
7.12 Jordyn Buchanan <jordyn(a)google.com <mailto:jordyn@google.com>>
7.13 Ram Mohan <rmohan(a)afilias.info <mailto:rmohan@afilias.info>>
7.14 Sarmad Hussain <sarmad.hussain(a)icann.org <mailto:sarmad.hussain@icann.org>>
7.15 Kurt Pritz <kurt(a)kjpritz.com <mailto:kurt@kjpritz.com>>
7.16 Richard Merdinger <rmerdinger(a)godaddy.com <mailto:rmerdinger@godaddy.com>>
7.17 Christian Dawson <dawson(a)i2coalition.com <mailto:dawson@i2coalition.com>>
7.18 Mark Svancarek <marksv(a)microsoft.com <mailto:marksv@microsoft.com>>
7.19 M3 Sweatt <msweatt(a)microsoft.com <mailto:msweatt@microsoft.com>>
7.20 Francisco Arias <francisco.arias(a)icann.org <mailto:francisco.arias@icann.org>>
