Re: newIANA (was Fram behind closed doors via opaque channels)

["mark.paton" <mark.paton at btinternet.com>]

All,
There appears to be some kind of paranoia going on here, the point of these
discussion groups is to keep everyone informed and to prevent the sort of
"X-Files" hype from pervading the internet.  Lets get on with the business
of developing the Internet further and drop the internal inane arguments.

It is right and proper to move the functions of the root into the private
sector and to this end WE should all support the IANA in its aims.  Please
help instead of criticizing.

Mark Paton
Mercury Network Systems Limited


-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Fleming <JimFleming at unety.net>
To: mueller at syr.edu <mueller at syr.edu>; Masataka Ohta
<mohta at necom830.hpcl.titech.ac.jp>
Cc: vinton g. cerf <vcerf at mci.net>; discussion-draft at giaw.org
<discussion-draft at giaw.org>; ietf at ietf.org <ietf at ietf.org>;
comments at iana.org <comments at iana.org>; Iana at iana.org <Iana at iana.org>;
List at giaw.org <List at giaw.org>
Date: Monday, July 13, 1998 3:04 AM
Subject: Re: newIANA (was Fram behind closed doors via opaque channels)


>
>-----Original Message-----
>From: mueller <mueller at syr.edu>
>To: Masataka Ohta <mohta at necom830.hpcl.titech.ac.jp>
>Cc: vinton g. cerf <vcerf at mci.net>; discussion-draft at giaw.org
><discussion-draft at giaw.org>; ietf at ietf.org <ietf at ietf.org>;
>comments at iana.org <comments at iana.org>; Iana at iana.org <Iana at iana.org>;
>List at giaw.org <List at giaw.org>
>Date: Sunday, July 12, 1998 8:47 PM
>Subject: Re: newIANA (was Fram behind closed doors via opaque channels)
>
>
>>Mr. Ohta:
>>These comments demonstrate the kind of confusion about ISI and IANA that
>are
>>prevalent around the world. The view that the US government is
>"interfering"
>>with ISI's activities or the development of the Internet is very strange,
>>almost incomprehensible. ISI's involvement with the Internet is purely a
>>product of US Government funding. IANA is nothing but a government
contract
>>with the US Defense Department. Do you want the US Defense Department to
be
>>responsible for the basic coordinating functions of the global Internet? I
>>suspect your answer would be "NO." If so, then it is absolutely necessary
>for
>>these functions to be moved into an entirely new structure, outside of US
>>government control, in the private sector, and subject to global input.
>>
>
>For some...IANA has become a religion...
>
>
>>It may be true that ISI, Jon Postel, or other members of "IANA" have
>>developed close personal and professional relationships with people around
>>the world like you. Undoubtedly they, and people like you, have helped to
>>establish the Internet in other countries in its earlier stages of
>>development. These personal relationships are, quite literally, not
>relevant
>>to the task at hand. The Internet has become a global medium for commerce
>and
>>communication upon which billions of dollars of investment and business
and
>>social activity rest. What matters now is the legal and institutional
basis
>>for the coordinating functions that IANA provided in the past.
>>
>
>I disagree...the U.S. Government's White Paper clearly
>hands control to Jon Postel and his ITAG. If that is not
>the case then please get Mr. Ira Magaziner to post a
>public statement to these forums that disputes that. He
>could even send it to <comments at iana.org>.
>
>
>>For this reason it is also a mistake, and a serious one, to think that we
>are
>>now creating a "new IANA." As a figure of speech, it is acceptable,
because
>>whatever new organization is created will subsume the functions of IANA.
>>However, it is dangerous to use this term, because it obscures the
>>fundamental fact that the Internet's coordinating functions are undergoing
>a
>>radical mutation, making a sharp and irrevocable break with the past. The
>new
>>Entity will be a global organization, not a US government contractor; it
>will
>>not be dominated by one person but more of an impersonal institution, with
>>its own rules, and subject to much more formalized checks and balances.
>This
>>is not a "new IANA." It is an entirely new world for the Internet.
>>
>
>
>You might be confusing what is being created for the IPv4/6
>worlds and other worlds. As far as I know, these forums are
>only for people interested in the IPv4/6 Internet(s). It would be
>a serious mistake for people interested in those Internets to
>not recognize that Jon Postel and his ITAG will call the shots
>via http://www.iana.org.
>
>
>Jim Fleming
>Unir Corporation - http://www.unir.com
>
>
>