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16 Describe the applicant's efforts to ensure that there are no known operational or rendering problems concerning the applied-for gTLD string

gTLDFull Legal NameE-mail suffixDetail
.incGTLD Limitedtld.asiaView
A number of operational and rendering issues may arise with the delegation, and subsequent operation and use of a new TLD. Some of these issues may be experienced just by the users of one or two particular TLDs, due to the nature or composition of the string itself; whereas other issues (such as software support) may be experienced across all new TLDs.
Evaluation of the potential operational and rendering issues for this TLD was delegated to ARI. ARI is experienced with:

– The operational issues of operating TLDs
– TLDs that offer registrations at the third level (eg .com.au, .net.au) and below
– The rendering and operational issues surrounding the introduction of IDNs

ARI has executed a suite of tests to evaluate any issues arising from the use of the TLD string. ARI configured a test environment that consisted of DNS software, web server software, and an email server configured for sample domains in this TLD. Where possible, ARI attempted to test many equivalent applications, however the number of and different versions of applications means that testing was limited to the most common environments.
The tests executed by ARI indicate that this TLD is subject to the same issues already experienced by TLDs in the root, which are neither new nor unique. A summary of these common issues is provided below.

- Some applications make assumptions about known valid TLDs and fail to recognize new TLDs
- Some Non-IDN aware applications require the user to provide input in A-labels
- Some IDN aware applications present the user with the domain name using A-labels instead of U-labels
- Some IDN aware applications fail to render IRIs in a manner consistent with user expectations.

To mitigate these issues, ARI will work with us to ensure that maintainers of applications are made aware of the delegation and operation of this TLD. When relevant, we will refer the maintainers to the verification code produced by ICANN in the area for Universal Acceptance of All Top Level Domains such that operational issues can be mitigated for other TLDs.
ARI and us will work with maintainers of applications to provide subject matter knowledge where required, and provide directions to the tools provided by third parties such as the International Components for Unicode project and other groups, that can assist the application maintainer in adding the required support. User education may be required enabling users to configure their applications for correct functioning of this TLD. An informational section on the TLD website will be considered to address questions raised by the Internet community.
The steps ARI will take to mitigate these issues are more than adequate. Thus, we do not believe this TLD raises stability concerns and there is no reason that it should be denied on an operational and rendering issues bases.
gTLDFull Legal NameE-mail suffixDetail
.helpPioneer Gardens, LLCdonuts.coView
Donuts has conducted technical analysis on the applied-for string, and concluded that there are no known potential operational or rendering issues associated with the string.

The following sections discuss the potential operational or rendering problems that can arise, and how Donuts mitigates them.

## Compliance and Interoperability

The applied-for string conforms to all relevant RFCs, as well as the string requirements set forth in Section 2.2.1.3.2 of the Applicant Guidebook.


## Mixing Scripts

If a domain name label contains characters from different scripts, it has a higher likelihood of encountering rendering issues. If the mixing of scripts occurs within the top-level label, any rendering issue would affect all domain names registered under it. If occurring within second level labels, its ill-effects are confined to the domain names with such labels.

All characters in the applied-for gTLD string are taken from a single script. In addition, Donutsʹs IDN policies are deliberately conservative and compliant with the ICANN Guidelines for the Implementation of IDN Version 3.0. Specifically, Donuts does not allow mixed-script labels to be registered at the second level, except for languages with established orthographies and conventions that require the commingled use of multiple scripts, e.g. Japanese.


## Interaction Between Labels

Even with the above issue appropriately restricted, it is possible that a domain name composed of labels with different properties such as script and directionality may introduce unintended rendering behaviour.

Donuts adopts a conservative strategy when offering IDN registrations. In particular, it ensures that any IDN language tables used for offering IDN second level registrations involve only scripts and characters that would not pose a risk when combined with the top level label.


## Immature Scripts

Scripts or characters added in Unicode versions newer than 3.2 (on which IDNA2003 was based) may encounter interoperability issues due to the lack of software support.

Donuts does not currently plan to offer registration of labels containing such scripts or characters.


## Other Issues

To further contain the risks of operation or rendering problems, Donuts currently does not offer registration of labels containing combining characters or characters that require IDNA contextual rules handling. It may reconsider this decision in cases where a language has a clear need for such characters.

Donuts understands that the following may be construed as operational or rendering issues, but considers them out of the scope of this question. Nevertheless, it will take reasonable steps to protect registrants and Internet users by working with vendors and relevant language communities to mitigate such issues.

- missing fonts causing string to fail to render correctly; and
- universal acceptance of the TLD;