I get it, you work for a registrar, so you are naturally defensive (which I understand).
But like individuals who buy empty lots from the Forest Service to resell at a premium, can't you understand why this seems like an inefficient market outcome? Sure, it may be desirable/profitable, but not ideal?
Squatting may be a result of our domain registration system, but is it really desirable? to me it seems like a negative externality, that over-uses free domain names and which sells them for 100x times the price from a registrar, despite their non-use.
Why is a squatter adding any value? Should all domains be bought by one person who uses none for his one purposes, and sells each for 1k?
Explain what you mean by ideal? I'm not sure I get where you are going with that. Domain pricing is determined by economic forces.
"Why is a squatter adding any value?"
Value? What is the value of gambling at the casino or horse racing? Is value the demarcation point of economic activity that is acceptable?
What value does anyone provide who has enough knowledge (and or capital) to be able to buy something in advance anticipating that someone else might find it of value at a later date? We aren't talking about cornering the market on insulin here are we? Am I allowed to buy high volume scanners on craigslist and then sell them on ebay and make money? Am I providing "value"?
"Should all domains be bought by one person who uses none for his one purposes, and sells each for 1k?"
Well what prevents you from doing this to make money? Is it that you a) don't have the capital or b) don't have the knowledge to determine what would sell at a later date or c) you just find it objectionable and desire to not be in that business. (Like porn for example..)
If "c" then can you understand that it's a valid business model, is not illegal and in a sense is about as "fair" as someone buying real estate years ago in a hot area and now expecting to make a profit off that real estate? After all there is a risk in using your capital "a" to take this chance, right? You certainly don't believe that buying a bunch of domains that you think might go up in value is guaranteed do you?
But like individuals who buy empty lots from the Forest Service to resell at a premium, can't you understand why this seems like an inefficient market outcome? Sure, it may be desirable/profitable, but not ideal?
Squatting may be a result of our domain registration system, but is it really desirable? to me it seems like a negative externality, that over-uses free domain names and which sells them for 100x times the price from a registrar, despite their non-use.
Why is a squatter adding any value? Should all domains be bought by one person who uses none for his one purposes, and sells each for 1k?