Multilingual Internet Names Consortium MINC

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Multilingual Internet Names Consortium (MINC)
Internationalized Domain Names
(IDN)Presented by Khaled FattalMinc Chairman
CEOAPT ITU Workshop on ENUM and IDN, Bangkok
25-26 Aug 2003 www.minc.org
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If the Internet was invented inThailand, and all
Domain Names used Thai characters as a standard,
would you remember this URL?
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Must we all learn English so that we can use
the Internet?Is that the only option?

• English ASCII is used in telecommunications
  airlines, sciences, computer languages etc etc
• ISO/CCITT/ITU-T specifications etc all in
  English.
• Internet protocols are fundamentally ASCII
  email, ftp, routing
• Is DNS internationalization too difficult?
• So must we stick to English ASCII?
• Answer Of course not

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We cannot afford to stick to English ASCII only?

• Because if we do not Multilingualize the global
  internet we will not be able to bring in those
  who are left out that represent about 90 of the
  world population who are non English speaking to
  be part of this so called global internet.
• those are the people who want to be included
  who wish to use their own native languages on the
  internet.
• This is a part of the Minc Mission

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What does Internationalized Domain Names (IDN)
mean?

• Should IDN be the final objective?
• Answer NO, it should be the next
  objective.
• What should the final objective be then?
• Answer Multilingualisation of the
  internet.

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.

• How important are the non-English languages of
  the world to the future of the true and real
  global internet?
• Answer More than anyone can imagine.

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WWhat is the global internet?

• Is it there really a Global internet???
• or is it merely a series of Language based
  intranets with the English language intranet or
  ASCII being the most dominant and well know.

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Language based intranets is the reality
Cyrillic intranet
Arabic intranet
Chinese intranet
English Intranet
other
other
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Language with variants

• Examples

Arabic script Based languages Arabic, Farsi/Persia
n, Pashto, Urdu, etc
Cyrillic based languages Russian, Serbian, Ukraini
an, Macedonian Etc
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Our Vision for a True Multilingualized Global
internet

• English

Arabic
Cyrillic
Others
Chinese
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What are some of the fundamental pre-requisites

• legitimate language tables of these languages and
  their variants.
• Interoperability testing A methodology that
  creates an operational mechanism that ensures
  that elements of the internet work well together
  ensuring stability of the system
• Coordination of efforts

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What is Minc doing about it? Minc is using its
strengths for this mission.

• A- Mincs new mission, vision and philosophy on
  IDN, new policies, new developments since its
  December 02 announcement on restructuring to
  meet all these challenges.
• B- Mincs Language working groups and their new
  roles to produce language tables for their own
  languages/scripts
• C- Mincs Interoperability tests , To be
  presented by Prof Tan Tin Wee
• D-Mincs Diversity of its membership and its
  board.

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New Mission Philosophy

• IDN and Multilingualisation can only be developed
  through the people of its regions, their
  technical their linguistic experts.
• Empowerment of the IDN regions to have control
  over their own destiny and their development of
  their own language/ script, based on already
  agreed standards and protocols.
• To Facilitate Multilingualisation of Internet
  Names.
• To lead in the development Internationalization
  of Internet Names Standards and Protocols
• To Engage with all relevant parties and stakes
  holders to reach these goals.
• To benefit the CITIZENS of the of the IDN regions

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Mincs restructuring Since the new Minc board
October 2002

• Announcement of major reform and restructuring
  drive of Minc, Dec 12, 2002
• Invitation to CCtlds and NICs of the world. Feb
  21,2002
• Announcement of Minc interoperability testing
  Nov 02,
• Followed by the release of document for comment
  Feb 25, 2003

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Restructuring since October 2002 cont..

• Reform of the language working groups, our core
• strength, to promote cooperation and
  coordination
• between languages of similar scripts with
  variances.
• Mincs Language WGs new objectives to publish
  recommendations on their variant tables .
• The constant additions of new language
• working groups
• Other new policies soon to be
  announced

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Mincs strength is derived from its Language
Communities whichrepresent over 3.5 billion
people

• Arabic language and Script group
• CDNC Chinese WG
• JDNA Japanese WG
• IAK Korean WG
• INFITT Tamil WG
• CLINC Cyrillic WG
• Indian languages WG
• Russian WG
• Urdu WG
• And many others

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Minc language working groups

• Through its language working Groups Minc is
  uniquely qualified in IDN as a bottom-up
  organisation with its outreach to those who
  represent IDN while being recognized as a leader
  in the global communities and its organisations.

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Mincs interoperability testing

• Will be presented by Professor Tan Tin Wee

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Diversity of Mincs Board of Directors and their
heritage.

• Dongman Lee Korean
• S Subbiah Tamil/ Singaporean
• S Maniam Indian
• Nii Quaynor Nigerian
• Charles Shaban Jordanian
• Dr. Charles Lee Chinese-American
• Nico Popp French
• K Konishi Japanese
• Prof. Tan Tin Wee Singaporean
• Khaled Fattal Arab-American

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Focus Implementation

• Local and global alliances to better Deliver on
  this mission
• Awareness Raising Activities
• Discussion and Research Platform on Multilingual
  Internet Names/IDN
• Providing Cross-Country/Culture Communication and
  Cooperation
• Delivering on being the recognized and
  legitimate source of language tables and
  standards for IDN and the Multilingualisation
  of the global internet

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Mincs contribution and vision of the future
of IDN

• We believe that the development and the future of
  IDN is fundamental to the creation of a truly
  Multilingual internet
• We believe in directly involving the people of
  the IDN regions to take charge of their own
  destiny, as we have through our working language
  Groups
• That Coordination amongst regions based on a
  proven platform of cooperation for the
  advancement of IDN and the Multilingualisation
  of the global Internet is vital.
• Creating, private, and government sector
  awareness of local and global developments, and..
  With strong recommendations
• But above all we believe in Citizen empowerment.

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.

• Minc is committed to leading and delivering
  true Multilingualisation of the global internet
  to the masses of the IDN regions their ability
  to access the global internet in their own
  language for a truly
• Global Internet,
• Which we believe is their given right!

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However

• The future can only be what we want it to
  become and are willing to work for it
• Or what others with their own special
  interests would want it to be
• But whatever that future may be it must
  recognise that nothing can move forward without
  empowerment of the people of the IDN regions to
  take charge of their own destiny
• And this has been and will always be the
  MINC policy and Model.
• please send Your welcome feedback to
• Khaledfattal_at_aol.com and/or sec_at_minc.org