Re: LYNX-DEV browser.org

[Klaus Weide]

The context:

 Rob Partington has registered browser.org with the InterNIC, with the
purpose of giving Lynx Development and Distribution and Support a home
under the name lynx.browser.org.  That latter name has been suggested 
and discussed on the list, and IMHO there seemed to be enough support
for it to go ahead.

Now, on Mon, 21 Oct 1996, Walter Skorski wrote:

> Jim Spath writes:
> 
> > I peronally like the idea of browser.org, although I said earlier that
> > lynx-dev.org was okay.  By having a whole 2nd level namespace, we can
> > branch it out as much as we like, as in "text.browser.org,"  etc.
> 
> This "branching out" may be something you or Rob or other
> *individuals* on the list may have interest in, but as a *group*, it's
> something I feel the *group* should keep a safe distance from.

Rob has registered browser.org.  It's his.
He did it in order to make lynx.browser.org possible for Lynx.
So we can say lynx.browser.org is "ours".  (Whoever exactly the "We" are).

Whatever Rob does with the rest of his namespace *.browser.org is not
our business, IMHO.  He can "rent out" some of it to others for other
browsers, or register his personal home computer or kitchen appliance
under it AFAIAC.  I don't see what that would have to do with Lynx.

He may even ask us before doing something else under browser.org.
But he doesn't have to.

> > We may
> > change the name Lynx is some corporation decides to hassle us,
> 
> One small advantage, but if all those Lynxes that already exist
> haven't found cause to hassle us in the years that Lynx the browser
> has been around, I doubt they'd start now.  Besides, the name "Lynx"
> has been used to refer to the browser longer than a lot of those other
> entities have existed - so in effect, we're "grandfathered in".

Is this opinion based on a solid understanding of (U.S., mostly)
trademark law and the various lawsuits around NSI (who run the 
registration part of the InterNIC)?  :-)

[deleted some]

> > We would be able to have chimera or
> > other free browsers hang off our namespace it it seems reasonable.

There is no "We" involved here, because browser.org is Rob's.
 
> This is what worries me the most.  Who decides what's "reasonable"?

Rob does.

> What if several entities lay claim to the same subdomain?

There is nothing to base such a claim on anyway...
At least I don't think that Procter&Gamble, who have registered GERMS.COM
among other stupid names, have any obligation to let other competing
sicknesses also use that domain...

> Who arbitrates such decisions?

Whoever owns browser.org...

> These are certainly not jobs any of us in
> the "Lynx Development Group" signed up for when we subscribed to the
> list...

No, they aren't.  Let's keep it that way.

> What if, after this domain gets established with these other
> subdomains attached, the person administering the domain loses
> interest and cedes control to someone who has no interest in
> maintaining these other subdomains, or worse yet, has no interest in
> maintaining the lynx.browser.org subdomain?  How can we claim to
> deserve control over a domain name as generic as "browser.org",
> if someone decides to contest us in that regard - especially when we
> *invited* these others into the domain?

That's a lot of IFs.

There is no formally established Lynx Browser Foundation, or Lynx
Support Not-For-Profit Organization, AFAIK, to register an domain name
for us.  So Rob, as an individual, did what was necessary to make
lynx.browser.org possible.  I trust that he will do what's necessary
to support lynx.browser.org as a stable name - including ceding control
to someone appropriate if he cannot maintain it.  There is also no reason
why I would automatically trust any formal organi[sz]ation more than the
individual RP (including the question of stability).  
 
> > If we can agree to stick with lynx-n.browser.org as our base, I'd like to
> > see version specific web pages that we can have the older sites point to.
> > The UKans page could redirected to lynx-237.browser.org/help.html, where a
> > page of helpful hints could be placed, as well as the obligatory "upgrade
> > to lynx-newer-than-you-have". Subir's pages could be redirected there as
> > well so all the latest releases have working help pointers next year. 
> 
> I see no reason why such can't be done as part of the file structure
> rather than as a subdomain, e.g. lynx-dev.org/2-3-7/help.html.

Agreed, that seems to make more sense.  (Until the time "we" get so big
and successful that we just *need* several machines to host the traffic...)

> > We could also set up mirrors the way FreeBSD does, with uk.lynx.browser
> > being in the UK, etc.
> 
> Nothing stops us from doing that, either; I'm only arguing that if
> we're going to "officially" set up shop in cyberspace, we should do so
> in a location that's uniquely and unequivocally ours.

There are no eternal guarantees of territorial possession in cyberspace...

Anyway, I think we should thank Rob (and whoever tried but came in late :-) )
and start using the name.  I don't see any big issues preventing that.

  Klaus

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