Changes

===Issue on Single Letter and Two Character Domain Names===

===Issue on Single Letter and Two Character Domain Names===

Overstock.com is a member of [[ICANN]]'s [[CBUC|Commercial and Business Users Constituency]].<ref>[http://www.bizconst.org/members.htm BC Membership List]</ref> The company has been involved in the different activities of ICANN since 2004. In 2005, Overstock.com's chairman and CEO Patrick Byrne, sent a letter to then ICANN CEO [[Paul Twomey]] requesting the [[ICANN Board]] to support a policy allowing the registration of single letter domain names. Byrne informed Twomey of its interest to register the single letter/second level domain name O.com. <ref>[http://www.icann.org/en/correspondence/byrne-to-twomey-11nov05.pdf Dr. Patrick Byrne Letter to Paul Twomey]</ref>  

Overstock.com is a member of [[ICANN]]'s [[CBUC|Commercial and Business Users Constituency]].<ref>[http://www.bizconst.org/members.htm BC Membership List]</ref> The company has been involved in the activities of ICANN since 2004. In 2005, Overstock.com's Chairman and CEO Patrick Byrne sent a letter to then ICANN CEO [[Paul Twomey]] requesting the [[ICANN Board]] to support a policy allowing the registration of single letter domain names. Byrne informed Twomey of its interest to register the single letter/second level domain name O.com.<ref>[http://www.icann.org/en/correspondence/byrne-to-twomey-11nov05.pdf Dr. Patrick Byrne Letter to Paul Twomey]</ref>  

Aside from Overstock.com, there was a significant number of third parties who also expressed their interest and inquiries on the issue. In response, ICANN created a Forum on Allocation Methods for Single-Letter and Single-Digit Domain Names based on the recommendation of the [[GNSO]] Council in 2007. Prior to the GNSO Council's recommendation, the [[ RN-WG|Reserved Names Working Group]] reviewed and consulted technical experts about the technical implications of releasing single-letter and single-digit domain names from reservation. All possible single-letter and single-digit domain names were reserved by [[Jon Postel]] in 1993.<ref>

Aside from Overstock.com, there was a significant number of third parties who also expressed their interest and inquiries on the issue. In response, ICANN created a Forum on Allocation Methods for Single-Letter and Single-Digit Domain Names based on the recommendation of the [[GNSO]] Council in 2007. Prior to the GNSO Council's recommendation, the [[RN-WG|Reserved Names Working Group]] reviewed and consulted technical experts about the technical implications of releasing single-letter and single-digit domain names. All possible single-letter and single-digit domain names had been reserved by [[Jon Postel]] in 1993.<ref>

[http://www.icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-16oct07.htm ICANN Establishes Forum on Allocation Methods for Single-Letter and Single-Digit Domain Names]</ref>

[http://www.icann.org/en/announcements/announcement-16oct07.htm ICANN Establishes Forum on Allocation Methods for Single-Letter and Single-Digit Domain Names]</ref>

In 2009, Overstock.com launched O.biz after ICANN approved the proposal of Neustar to release one and two-character Domains.<ref>

In 2009, Overstock.com launched O.biz, after ICANN approved the proposal of [[Neustar]] to release one and two-character domains.<ref>

[http://www.neustarregistry.biz/?q=announcements/announcement NeuStar’s Release of One- and Two-Character .BIZ Domains]</ref> Overstock.com l partnered with [[Neustar]] in launching the new domain name to provide opportunity for small businesses and consumers interested in purchasing large quantities of products for bigger discounts. <ref>

[http://www.neustarregistry.biz/?q=announcements/announcement NeuStar’s Release of One- and Two-Character .BIZ Domains]</ref> Overstock.com partnered with Neustar in launching the new domain name to provide opportunity for small businesses and consumers interested in purchasing large quantities of products for bigger discounts.<ref>

[http://www.domainnamenews.com/up-to-the-minute/overstockcom-launching-obiz-bulk-merchandise-site/6007 Overstock.com Launching O.BIZ Bulk Merchandise Site]</ref>

[http://www.domainnamenews.com/up-to-the-minute/overstockcom-launching-obiz-bulk-merchandise-site/6007 Overstock.com Launching O.BIZ Bulk Merchandise Site]</ref>

===Issue on Trademark Protection for New gTLDs===

===Issue on Trademark Protection for New gTLDs===

In 2009, Overstock.com's President Jonathan Johnson III expressed the company's concern regarding the issue on Trade Protection for new [[gTLD]]s. In his letter addressed to ICANN Chairman [[Peter Dengate Thrush]] and [[Rod Beckstrom]], President; Johnson questioned the commercial needs for the introduction of hundreds of gTLDs and opined that such move means "adding new properties to the Monopoly board." He emphasized that the proposed protection measures of the [[IRT]] Final Report is not enough to protect the interests of brand owners. However. Johnson expressed his willingness to work with ICANN to create further solutions to resolve the concerns regarding trademark protection.<ref>[http://www.icann.org/en/correspondence/johnson-to-dengate-thrush-22jul09-en.pdf Jonathan John III Letter to ICANN]</ref>

In 2009, Overstock.com's President Jonathan Johnson III expressed the company's concern regarding the issue on Trade Protection for new [[gTLD]]s. In his letter addressed to ICANN Chairman [[Peter Dengate Thrush]] and ICANN CEO [[Rod Beckstrom]], Johnson questioned the commercial need for the introduction of hundreds of gTLDs and opined that such a move meant "adding new properties to the Monopoly board." He emphasized that the proposed protection measures of the [[IRT]] Final Report are not enough to protect the interests of brand owners. However, Johnson also expressed his willingness to work with ICANN to create further solutions to resolve the concerns regarding trademark protection.<ref>[http://www.icann.org/en/correspondence/johnson-to-dengate-thrush-22jul09-en.pdf Jonathan John III Letter to ICANN]</ref>

==References==

==References==