In a press release sent out overnight, “The Directors of Minds + Machines Group Limited (AIM: MMX) are pleased to provide an update on the launch programme of its portfolio of new top-level domains and the expansion of its registrar sales channel activity.”
“gTLD Launch Programme
On 1 April 2014, the first five of Minds + Machines wholly owned gTLD’s, .FISHING, .VODKA, .RODEO, .COOKING and .HORSE, as well as .COUNTRY in which the Company has a joint venture interest, were delegated into the Internet’s root zone. 15 April has therefore been set by the Company as the official launch date for the Group’s first batch of top-level domains.
On that date, the Minds + Machines registry will begin formally accepting applications from trademark holders via accredited registrars for available second-level domain names in .FISHING, .VODKA, .RODEO, .COOKING, .COUNTRY and .HORSE during what is known as the Sunrise period. Sixty days later, the application window will close and Minds + Machines will register the names to successful trademark holders. In the case of duplicate applications received from trademark holders for a name during the Sunrise, applicants will be invited to an auction to determine the winner.
A concurrent sixty-day period, called the Landrush, will also open on 15 April where the public and non-trademark holders can apply for names in the six domains through accredited registrars. The Landrush will operate in a similar fashion to the Sunrise in regard to duplicate applications. However, trademarked names registered as part of the Sunrise will have priority over Landrush applications for the same name.
Antony Van Couvering, CEO of the Group, said:
“This is a key moment in the Company’s development. The first of our wholly-owned top-level domains is now live in the root zone of the Internet and we will shortly be able to begin taking orders and processing applications. We look forward to a successful rolling programme of top-level domain launches throughout 2014.”
On April 29, the new top-level domain of its client, Dot London, will launch.
Sales Channel Update
TLDH is pleased also to report that the Group has continued to expand the number of registrars through which addresses in its wholly-owned domains can be retailed to the public. Registry-Registrar Agreements (“RRAs”), have now been signed with 41 ICANN-accredited registrars across Europe, Asia and US.
Really excited about the .Horse Launch. Game-Changer here ladies and gentlemen.
I’m more excited about .HorselessCarriage. That will be the real game changer, and make .Horse totally obsolete.
These domain names paint quite the word picture of american rural life!
At what point did the M+M “Priority Registration” (first come, first serve pre-registration) become the standard “Pre-Registration” (where multiple people can apply for any domain up until the end of the landrush; at which time the winner is decided by auction)?
From their FAQ:
Q – What if I made a priority reservation?
A – If you made a priority reservation under our old system for .horse, .cooking, .casa, .ceo, or .best, we will honor these reservations.
When did the ‘switch over’ from the Priority Registration –> Pre-Registration occur? Was there a M+M announcement/PR release that I missed? The only thing I was able to discover regarding the “switch over” is that it happened sometime within the past 40 days; based on the fact that a Feb 20th article on DNW.com quotes Anthony Van Couvering (CEO, M+M) discussing M+M’s current “Priority Reservation program”.
Interestingly, despite the PR release stating:
“A concurrent sixty-day period, called the Landrush, will also open on 15 April where the public and non-trademark holders can apply for names in the six domains through accredited registrars”
In fact, you can go to their website NOW and “apply [a.k.a pre-register] for names in the six domains”.
So what’s the significance of the 15 April date??
One last curious item I just stumbled on …
From the M+M FAQ:
Q – What happens if a domain I pre-registered goes to auction?
A – If you pre-register a domain during the Landrush period, and another customer has pre-registered the same domain, the domain will go to auction. In this case, the TLD administrators will contact you and invite you to an auction. If you choose not to participate in the auction, your pre-registration will be cancelled, and your fees will NOT be refunded. If you choose to participate in the auction and lose, your fees will be refunded, minus any auction fees.
__________
Do the two auction (non)participation scenarios (described in the last 2 sentences) make sense?
(a) Auction non-participation –> Domain pre-registration cancelled –> Fee Refund NO
(b) Auction participation (but do NOT win) –> Fee Refund YES –> but Auction Fee payable
– Why no refund in (a)?
– Why would anyone choose (a); when they could choose (b) and bid the lowest amount (thereby ensuring they lose the auction; yet are refunded their registration fees)?
– There will be “auction fees” charged to all winners AND losers of ‘landrush’ auctions?
These rules seem odd … no?!?