Carlo,
As mentioned already, they have no affillation with us whatsoever.
While my personal belief is that their basis for existence is outside the scope of the AuDA policies, The AuDA interpret their policies in such a way that makes the .au namespace effectively open slather.
Read on ...
jdear wrote:.com.au you need an ABN for... unsure about the others...
Jonathan,
Well, yes, and no.
Here's where tha AuDA makes, I think, a mockery of their policies.
Yes, you need to have an ABN to get a license to use a .com.au or .net.au domain. You also, according to their policies, need to have a "close and substantial connection" to the name.
That all sounds good and proper, and it sounds like there's some measure of protection there for people and businesses. As I said ... sounds like ...
The requirement for an ABN is exactly that: a requirement that you hold an ABN.
ANY ABN. doesn't have to be related to any business that you may wish to have a website for ... if you have an ABN ... you're fine.
"Close and substantial connection ...."
Have I used the term farcical yet? Maybe I should.
Logic would , I suspect, suggest that your ABN and your .com.au domain be somewhat related, and thereby would lie the "close and substantial connection".
Logic plays no part here, however. You have your ABN - jdear, sole trader, perhaps. You want a web presence ... what would be a good domain name for you? jdearphotos.com.au perhaps?
Nah ... that's too obvious.
What about CanonImaging.com.au?
Perhaps NikonPros.com.au suits you better? They're both available,m and your's for the taking.
But where's the "Close and substantial connection" you ask.
Good question.
The answer is that you've just purchased the domain name, and you're creating the website. THAT, believe it or not, is your close and substantial
connection.
I happen to think that's a really smelly load of bullshit, bit it is exactly how the AuDA interprets its policies.
So, armed with that information, if you want just about any domain name you fancy ... forget the stated rules: they're meanigless. Just get an ABN, and register your preferred domain name. It's that easy!
Now, getting back to the point, most of you who know me know what I think of advertising. The stated purpose behind this new effort is to raise advertising revenue for the site's owner.
In all honesty, apart from the obvious abhorrence I have of that, I really couldn't think of anything less compatible with a vibrant discussion forum on photography than advertising: could you imagine what it would be like here were we hamstrung by dollars paid to us by a camera manufacturer, for instance.
So ... let them have their site, complete with their advertising dollars ... and banners, pop-ups, tracking cookies ...
Then see if you can have the same sort of free, frank and open discussion of the type that we have here from time to time.
I think I know where I'd rather be.