Re: [ifwp] Re: announcement from the Berkman Center

[Dave Crocker <dcrocker@brandenburg.com>]

At 01:06 PM 8/30/98 +0100, Jim Dixon wrote:
>> However the DNS topic is only one of a range of issues and the fact that
>> this particular issue isn't resolved yet is tough to blame solely on IANA.
>
>This isn't a matter of blame.  It's a matter of success or failure.

Actually, Jim, your style of commentary about IANA is very MUCH a matter of
blame.  Crediting a particular organization for a failure is to blame it
for the failure.  That's why it was necessary to point out to you the
relevant contributions by U.S. government agencies to the current predicament.

>The fact is that IANA as it is presently constituted has not coped 
>well with the DNS mess.  We need what the White Paper has called for:
>an infusion of the expertise that IANA lacks and the legitimacy that
>comes from a broad and diverse membership.

IANA is not in a position to compensate for massive and repeated errors by
the U.S. government, no.  That is hardly a "failing" of IANA.  

Had the U.S. not created the commercial "mess" by granting NSI a commercial
monopoly and then continued the "mess" by intervening at the 11th hour with
the horrendous "green paper" from which it had to do a 180 degree reversal,
we'd be moving along quite smoothly as a result of IANA's oversight and
initiatives.  

Some folks would be unhappy, but that's hardly unusual.  What those
unhappy, but vocal, folks don't like to acknowledge is just how comfortable
the massive percentage of the Internet community would have been with the
changes that were already underway.  No, better to jump and shout about
IANA incompetence.  Makes better news copy.

>The point really is that in an effort to solve the gTLD problem, IANA 
>created and blessed a movement which embraced confrontational politics, 
>a MOUvement whose spokesmen relished conflict and divided the world into 

Jim, it's a shame you haven't considered the record very carefully.  Those
of us who have indulged in confrontation only started doing that after
being worn down by sustained misrepresentation and personal attacks.  I'm
sure you don't see it that way, but then that's part of the problem.

>two camps.  Those who supported the gTLD MOU were praised; those who 
>opposed it were subjected to vilification and relentless public, personal 
>attacks.  This is a major cause of the DNS wars.  

And, of course, you couldn't be more wrong.  The DNS wars were caused by
greed and avarice from those fearing they will be locked out of power or
profits.

You see, you are not the only one able to indulge in simplistic summary.

And that, I think, is enough for this particular interaction.

d/

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Dave CROCKER                                       Brandenburg Consulting
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