Auerbach Weighs in for gTLD Lotteries

The argument is that the DNS is a pyramid scheme. I am not quite sure how to take this comment. Consider two possibilities:

First, the comment is intended to be taken literally. This is suggested by the following remark:

Rather than selling the goods and services to the public (in this case increasing supply), the current DNS system looks to attract new members to the status quo...that's a pyramid scheme.
In this sense, the comment is obviously and demonstrably false. Domain name service is a service sold to the public. Expansion of the root involves either the sale of new SLDs or the creation of closed or sponsored TLDS. This is not a pyramid scheme as defined. If the comment asserts otherwise, then it is based on a misunderstanding of the definition of a pyramid scheme or is a deliberate falsehood.

Second, the comment might be intended to suggest that root expansion is a pyramid scheme is a metaphorical sense. If there really is no economic benefit to be derived from root expansion, because there is no real economic demand for new TLDs, then an auction is the best way to demonstrate this. The auction results signal the market as the the value of new TLDs, and would be strong evidence that further expansions is unnecessary.Lawrence Solum

[ Reply to This | Parent ]

Re:Pyramid Schemes by lsolum Wednesday April 09 2003, @01:26PM
- Looks like a:pyramid scheme to me by fnord Thursday April 10 2003, @10:08AM
  - End of Pyramid Scheme Discussion by lsolum Thursday April 10 2003, @10:31AM
    - Not Quite the End of Pyramid Scheme Discussion :) by fnord Thursday April 10 2003, @11:40AM
      - Apologies to Fnord & More on Pyramids by lsolum Thursday April 10 2003, @05:10PM
        Re:Apologies to Fnord & More on Pyramids by fnord Friday April 11 2003, @10:41AM
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