NSI Agreement

["Rick H. Wesson" <wessorh@ar.com>]

NTIA:

I find your agreement with NSI unacceptable.

Your agreement states that NSI must develop the software to
run the registration services. This implys that NSI will still
host the Shaired Repository. This is unacceptable. NSI has
IMHO has no intrest in acually meeting the deadline March 31,
1999 with full implementation by June 1, 1999. It is in their
best intrest to not meet this deadline. There is no reprocussion 
or non-USG oversignht on their opperation of the Registry.

I am frankly appaled at the amendment to the coperative agreement.

   1) it is clear that the IANA/ICANN/NewCo should be managing
      a.root-servers.net ASAP. Allowing NSI to continue the management
      of the most important root server only allows NSI to strong arm
      the masses as they have done for the last 5 years.

   2) the timeline for the development of a shared repository
      implementation would only be possable if had prior access
      to such a code base. It is completely impossable for almost
      any organization to develop *the* mission critical application
      for the internet in the time frame outlined in the ammended
      coperative agreement.
     
      I expect NSI to delay and fail to meet their deadline and 
      continue profit for their delay. it is in their self intrest
      not to make the deadlines, even if it was feasable.

    3) the protocol for the SRS (shaired registry system) *MUST* be
       made in the public domain and should be made available with
       out any licenseing fees. NSI should not be allowed to be the
       sole licensee of such an important international protocol.


    4) the USG has not demonstrated tha ability to understand 
       much less access NSI's ability to preform. The last section 
       of the agreement gives total controll of the root to the
       USG, thus invalidating any simblance of International 
       oversite.

I find your agreement with NSI completely unacceptable and it is my wish
and hope that others will feel the same. 

-rick