Changes

The name MelbourneIT came from "Melbourne Information Technology International Pty Ltd" which was a commercial subsidiary of The University of Melbourne. The initial objective of the company was not merely to register domains but to demonstrate the University’s strategic leadership in working with industry and government in selected areas of IT. [[Robert Elz]], senior system administrator in the University of Melbourne’s Computer Science Department was in charge of the registration process of .au domain at that time.  

The name MelbourneIT came from "Melbourne Information Technology International Pty Ltd" which was a commercial subsidiary of The University of Melbourne. The initial objective of the company was not merely to register domains but to demonstrate the University’s strategic leadership in working with industry and government in selected areas of IT. [[Robert Elz]], senior system administrator in the University of Melbourne’s Computer Science Department was in charge of the registration process of .au domain at that time.  

An article published in "Australian Financial Review" by Charles Wright made the authority interested about the commercial values of domain name registration. Eventually the condition demanded that the process of .au domain registration to be transferred to a capable commercial institution.  Thus the administration of com.au names to the University’s subsidiary Melbourne IT by  a non-exclusive license, to be reviewed after five years. <ref>[http://www.rogerclarke.com/II/OzIHist.html Roger Clarke's 'Brief History of the Internet in Australia]</ref>. In 1996, Government of Victoria awarded a grant of $100,000 in return for registering the backlog of over 2,000 com.au applications free to the applicants. This money was used to build its first domain name registration software platform.

An article published in "Australian Financial Review" by Charles Wright made the authority interested about the commercial values of domain name registration. Eventually the condition demanded that the process of .au domain registration to be transferred to a capable commercial institution.  Thus the administration of com.au names to the University’s subsidiary Melbourne IT by  a non-exclusive license, to be reviewed after five years. <ref>[http://www.rogerclarke.com/II/OzIHist.html Roger Clarke's 'Brief History of the Internet in Australia]</ref>  In 1996, Government of Victoria awarded a grant of $100,000 in return for registering the backlog of over 2,000 com.au applications free to the applicants. This money was used to build its first domain name registration software platform.

MelbourneIT started charging for domain name registrations in November 1996, at $100 wholesale and $125 retail. They also introduced different pricing plans and different criteria for domain registration process during that period.

MelbourneIT started charging for domain name registrations in November 1996, at $100 wholesale and $125 retail. They also introduced different pricing plans and different criteria for domain registration process during that period.

After enjoying exclusive right to sell 'au' domain for 5 years, MelbourneIT signed a license agreement with .au Domain Administration (auDA) 12 July, 2001. It was reported that Melbourne IT's Chief Executive, Professor Peter Gerrand, claimed that the deal 'extended Melbourne IT's guarantee of exclusivity'. Later, the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Senator Richard Alston announced that the cliam was incorrect and the MelbourneIT's monopoly on .au domains will not be extended.<ref>[http://www.dbcde.gov.au/Article/0,,0_4-2_4008-4_15121,00.html Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy]</ref>.

After enjoying exclusive right to sell 'au' domain for 5 years, MelbourneIT signed a license agreement with .au Domain Administration ([[auDA]]) 12 July, 2001. It was reported that Melbourne IT's Chief Executive, Professor Peter Gerrand, claimed that the deal 'extended Melbourne IT's guarantee of exclusivity'. Later, the Minister for Communications, Information Technology and the Arts, Senator Richard Alston announced that the cliam was incorrect and the MelbourneIT's monopoly on .au domains will not be extended.<ref>[http://www.dbcde.gov.au/Article/0,,0_4-2_4008-4_15121,00.html Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy]</ref>

==References==

==References==