> I'm sorry, but could someone remind me what the key issues are here?
The key issues at the moment are, as I see it: whether or not the domain name
system operators and their clients will have the authority to make decisions
affecting them; and whether or not the businesses which use domain names as
trademarks will be permitted to impose their criteria (and restrictions) on the
allocation of domain names. Other people may have other priorities.
But it isn't precisely the resolution of these issues that's underway, as you
say. The conflicts and issues in a new situation serve first to cause a
reshuffling of the pack. I've been directly involved, twice in my life, in the
creation of new organizations during periods of change of government (in South
America). The process always occurs just like this one is occurring. When people
and organizations that have been under the tutelage of an arbitrary authority
are forced to organize themselves and create means of governance, it takes a lot
of false starts and reformation of alliances before useful working groups come
together. The process is productive and results in creative and very efficient
new structures if the parties involved accept the challenge and don't drop back
into the position of asking yet another external authority to take over.