Big new top level domain applicant finds odd results with digital archery system.
Digital archery, which creates a secondary timestamp for new TLD applications that will determine how they are batched, is run through ICANN’s TLD Application System (TAS).
This is the same system that was taken offline for over a month due to a security glitch that allowed some competing applicants to see limited data from other applicants.
So you don’t suppose there could be problems with digital archery, too?
One of the larger top level domain applicants, Top Level Domain Holdings, Inc., says it has discovered some odd results in the digital archery test system that may point to technical problems.
[Update: ICANN confirmed there was a problem. It wasn’t with the recorded data, but only displayed data. Still, this doesn’t instill confidence.]
TLDH has built a system designed to get good results in digital archery. But its tests have shown strange outliers when it clicks 1 to 5 milliseconds earlier than the target time in digital archery.
Of course, it’s entirely possible this is something on TLDH’s side. But ICANN doesn’t deserve the benefit of the doubt anymore.
ICANN has responded to TLDH’s blog past on Twitter, saying “we’re aware of the issue you raised & are looking into it…” and asking others with similar issues to notify it.
I still stand by my claim that digital archery is a very dumb idea. I think Antony Van Couvering does a good job of explaining why in his post.
How about a digital turkey shoot with a digital shotgun for greater accuracy and fairness? Looks like this may be a moving target that nobody trusts – but how do you prove it malfunctioned?
I’d love to know where they got this idea. Seems like another moneyspinner.
There are a few companies out to get (crash) the Digital Archery system or make it look bad. You are going to get some of these reports from these bad eggs.