findtim
Top Contributor
After much consideration I am today announcing that I intend to run for demand class election.
for those in a hurry here is the short version of where I stand.
1) I do not support the implementation of a .au where the current .com.au owner is financially affected.
2) just vote for Shane first then me second and we will look after your best interests
Tim Connell.
------------- more detailed version ------------
My campaign slogan "Vote Two for Tim" , my goal is to give members an opportunity to have a 2nd person on the board representing their best interests thus I will be voting for Shane first and myself second and would suggest everyone else does the same. I firmly believe that we need Shane on the board and if possible me.
This is not a donkey vote, we need 2 this year and 2 more the next and keep those positions forever, its been a long time coming and it has to start somewhere. We need a 2nd person this year that you fell confident enough in to represent your interests that you can give your 2nd vote to, that person I believe is me.
There is more to this election then just the .au, there are the discussions on many things that need auctioning to bring the demand class out from a mostly Domainer membership to a more real "domain owner" membership, I totally disagree with statements of more members being a negative because the alternative which we have of only 150+ members is far to tiny for such an important organisation.
The question of membership fees and voting rights also is something to look at.
MY POSITION ON .AU:
i just want to cover 1 thing first before i get into the topic on every ones lips and that is the severe lack of communication to domain name owners by auDA, From the outside it seems auDA spends more time on informing the small 150+ members about events like the auIGF and the xmas party then it does communicating will the people who pay their wages, domain name owners, whilst a non profit organisation sits with millions of dollars and growing at its disposal, it just doesn't make sense to me.
now for the elephant.
1) I am against the introduction of .au in what I believe its present form will take, primarily this will not create growth, it is mere duplication for the sack of supply class profit from defensive registrations
2) I will not vote for a change that involves an increase in costs to the consumer for something that is not needed.
3) If this goes through regardless then priority should be with the .com.au owner ONLY.
4) I am for the introduction of a .au as a REPLACEMENT to the current.com.au, I believe shorter is better especially for the future with the take up of mobile devices, but not at the added expense of present domain name owners.
4b) If we undertake the .au then the .com.au should be scrapped following a comprehensive information campaign to all domain name owners over many "changeover" years.
NO BODY as yet has presented any thing of benefit to warrant having both .com.au and .au in existence, we didn't keep miles or inches when we went metric, we didn't keep our old phone number when Telstra added a digit and the way an area code is represented, the list goes on with past examples of successful changeover examples IN Australia rather then failed ones from the uk and nz.
I think my viewpoint is put very succinctly by "carsales" in their 2015 Names Panel Policy Submission on Draft Recommendations
full submission here. https://www.auda.org.au/assets/pdf/sub-carsales.pdf
" carsales’ view is that registrations under .au TLDs should not be made available because they do not provide the benefits that the Panel rely on to justify their introduction and they present complications for existing and future registrants. The existing 2LDs (.com.au, .net.au, etc.) that are available for use adequately service the needs of Australian domain registrants."
and
"1. DO NOT INTRODUCE .au TLDs
1.1. Does not provide benefits presented by the Panel
1.2. Open to cyber squatting and bad faith registrations
1.3. Increased cost of maintaining domain portfolio
1.4. Impact on trade mark assets of business
------ end carsales --------
I think you should cast your 2nd vote for me because I solely represent the stakeholders in this industry, my definition of stakeholder is domain name owners are stakeholders not registrars. Registrars are service providers like your ISP, you move from 1 to another as it suits you, if one stops their service there is always another to take its place.
Registrars are services started to make a profit, like any good business, but i fell they have over influenced what happens with domains, they say there is a need for a new PRODUCT when their is non and wish to create this product NOT to offer it to the market but to FORCE the market it to purchase it.
WHO IS TIM ?
My background has always been in sales and management positions in private enterprise.
Management positions where systems following/creating and implementation, decision making, problem solving, P&L, staff, sales/marketing/growth have always been vital skills needed.
After 15years learning these skills from very successful large companies I went into my own business now in its 16th year starting in 2000 with very little knowledge about the internet/website building I had an online idea where i built a website simply by asking search engines questions ( google was only just starting so it was yahoo, alta vista etc ) and learning ASP and PHP from that. That business was great for a single bloke in byron bay but not enough for a wife and 2 kids but it did allow me to expand the business, and it now represents just a small part of my overall business. So it is presently being revamped to take it forward another XX years.
My business is 50/50, Web development for my domains and everything from domain registration to completion of website and beyond for clients, I dislike domains that sit around and do nothing and I have many that do like all of us. I am however progressing quite quickly now with fixing that.
My innate skills allow me to learn quickly, everyday I learn and achieve things I have never attempted before, I LOVE a challenge. I am a participant not an observer. i have never been on a board before but i have on MANY occasions created strategies as a team member for large companies to improve their systems and profit.
I am not afraid to say what I think and act on it, I am an open book on that, happy to listen to views that differ from mine and I have the ability to alter my view when I feel I have found a better one for all concerned which means I am not so stubborn that I do not have the ability for growth and change to occur, its a fundamental part of my life.
I'm a family man that lives in suburbia and knows the plight of SME's , I'm "on the ground" talking with SME's daily so I know their real thoughts on this subject, from city businesses to small country towns, from Cairns to Melbourne. The real thoughts and not one that came from a survey of loading questions.
Please feel free to contact me directly or PM if you want clarity on where I stand on any subject that concerns you.
------- end detailed version ---------------
My hours are 10am till late, just ring and see if I am free, please drop me an email if after 6pm is when you want to talk
Tim Connell
0439 859 860
tim@whitecollarwebsites.com.au
skype: whitecollarwebsites ( make it clear you are from DNT when you ask me to add you )
for those in a hurry here is the short version of where I stand.
1) I do not support the implementation of a .au where the current .com.au owner is financially affected.
2) just vote for Shane first then me second and we will look after your best interests
Tim Connell.
------------- more detailed version ------------
My campaign slogan "Vote Two for Tim" , my goal is to give members an opportunity to have a 2nd person on the board representing their best interests thus I will be voting for Shane first and myself second and would suggest everyone else does the same. I firmly believe that we need Shane on the board and if possible me.
This is not a donkey vote, we need 2 this year and 2 more the next and keep those positions forever, its been a long time coming and it has to start somewhere. We need a 2nd person this year that you fell confident enough in to represent your interests that you can give your 2nd vote to, that person I believe is me.
There is more to this election then just the .au, there are the discussions on many things that need auctioning to bring the demand class out from a mostly Domainer membership to a more real "domain owner" membership, I totally disagree with statements of more members being a negative because the alternative which we have of only 150+ members is far to tiny for such an important organisation.
The question of membership fees and voting rights also is something to look at.
MY POSITION ON .AU:
i just want to cover 1 thing first before i get into the topic on every ones lips and that is the severe lack of communication to domain name owners by auDA, From the outside it seems auDA spends more time on informing the small 150+ members about events like the auIGF and the xmas party then it does communicating will the people who pay their wages, domain name owners, whilst a non profit organisation sits with millions of dollars and growing at its disposal, it just doesn't make sense to me.
now for the elephant.
1) I am against the introduction of .au in what I believe its present form will take, primarily this will not create growth, it is mere duplication for the sack of supply class profit from defensive registrations
2) I will not vote for a change that involves an increase in costs to the consumer for something that is not needed.
3) If this goes through regardless then priority should be with the .com.au owner ONLY.
4) I am for the introduction of a .au as a REPLACEMENT to the current.com.au, I believe shorter is better especially for the future with the take up of mobile devices, but not at the added expense of present domain name owners.
4b) If we undertake the .au then the .com.au should be scrapped following a comprehensive information campaign to all domain name owners over many "changeover" years.
NO BODY as yet has presented any thing of benefit to warrant having both .com.au and .au in existence, we didn't keep miles or inches when we went metric, we didn't keep our old phone number when Telstra added a digit and the way an area code is represented, the list goes on with past examples of successful changeover examples IN Australia rather then failed ones from the uk and nz.
I think my viewpoint is put very succinctly by "carsales" in their 2015 Names Panel Policy Submission on Draft Recommendations
full submission here. https://www.auda.org.au/assets/pdf/sub-carsales.pdf
" carsales’ view is that registrations under .au TLDs should not be made available because they do not provide the benefits that the Panel rely on to justify their introduction and they present complications for existing and future registrants. The existing 2LDs (.com.au, .net.au, etc.) that are available for use adequately service the needs of Australian domain registrants."
and
"1. DO NOT INTRODUCE .au TLDs
1.1. Does not provide benefits presented by the Panel
1.2. Open to cyber squatting and bad faith registrations
1.3. Increased cost of maintaining domain portfolio
1.4. Impact on trade mark assets of business
------ end carsales --------
I think you should cast your 2nd vote for me because I solely represent the stakeholders in this industry, my definition of stakeholder is domain name owners are stakeholders not registrars. Registrars are service providers like your ISP, you move from 1 to another as it suits you, if one stops their service there is always another to take its place.
Registrars are services started to make a profit, like any good business, but i fell they have over influenced what happens with domains, they say there is a need for a new PRODUCT when their is non and wish to create this product NOT to offer it to the market but to FORCE the market it to purchase it.
WHO IS TIM ?
My background has always been in sales and management positions in private enterprise.
Management positions where systems following/creating and implementation, decision making, problem solving, P&L, staff, sales/marketing/growth have always been vital skills needed.
After 15years learning these skills from very successful large companies I went into my own business now in its 16th year starting in 2000 with very little knowledge about the internet/website building I had an online idea where i built a website simply by asking search engines questions ( google was only just starting so it was yahoo, alta vista etc ) and learning ASP and PHP from that. That business was great for a single bloke in byron bay but not enough for a wife and 2 kids but it did allow me to expand the business, and it now represents just a small part of my overall business. So it is presently being revamped to take it forward another XX years.
My business is 50/50, Web development for my domains and everything from domain registration to completion of website and beyond for clients, I dislike domains that sit around and do nothing and I have many that do like all of us. I am however progressing quite quickly now with fixing that.
My innate skills allow me to learn quickly, everyday I learn and achieve things I have never attempted before, I LOVE a challenge. I am a participant not an observer. i have never been on a board before but i have on MANY occasions created strategies as a team member for large companies to improve their systems and profit.
I am not afraid to say what I think and act on it, I am an open book on that, happy to listen to views that differ from mine and I have the ability to alter my view when I feel I have found a better one for all concerned which means I am not so stubborn that I do not have the ability for growth and change to occur, its a fundamental part of my life.
I'm a family man that lives in suburbia and knows the plight of SME's , I'm "on the ground" talking with SME's daily so I know their real thoughts on this subject, from city businesses to small country towns, from Cairns to Melbourne. The real thoughts and not one that came from a survey of loading questions.
Please feel free to contact me directly or PM if you want clarity on where I stand on any subject that concerns you.
------- end detailed version ---------------
My hours are 10am till late, just ring and see if I am free, please drop me an email if after 6pm is when you want to talk
Tim Connell
0439 859 860
tim@whitecollarwebsites.com.au
skype: whitecollarwebsites ( make it clear you are from DNT when you ask me to add you )