I've voiced my opinion to Nominet and suggest everyone else does the same.
The option of auctions will eradicate cheating at the cost of destroying the drop-catch industry for hundreds of members. Nominet should not be in a position of determining the value of specific domains when their policy is that of a fixed registration fee. I could count perhaps 20 investors that would take part in auctions; those that buy regularly on Domainlore and through backorder companies; it would benefit only those with the deepest pockets, not those that invest at reg fee and enjoy the thrill of the chase (waking up each day to see who got what).
General public already have the option to register domains through registrars or backorder services; they have no disadvantage. We as members pay fees on the basis of expected returns; we take more risks than they do.
Improved vetting is needed for membership, KYC, photo identification, interview process (in person?).
If load on the servers is a big problem for Nominet, then sure, set a 2pm drop each day and remove the DAC. We will end up in the same situation as ROR where timing of the EPP creates was everything but it is perhaps more a lottery then. They need to remove the ability to have 6 connections per TAG and instead make it per membership. They suggested we pay for EPP connections but 10 batches of 6 would not offer an advantage because the time is known; of course it will, 60 creates is better than 6 creates, no matter what process is in place.
One things for sure, there is no 'one size fits all' solution to this; and I fear Nominet will make determination based upon profits, as they always have, at the cost of their small members. I'm actually surprised large registrars have not been proposed as beneficiaries in all of this.
