From rogerc@us.ibm.com Sat Oct 10 12:51:16 1998 From: Roger Cochetti To: , , , , Subject: FYI: IBM COMMENT ON DOMAIN NAME PROPOSAL Date: Sat, 10 Oct 1998 15:47:09 -0400 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain Content-Length: 3339 FYI Internet Address: RogerC@US.IBM.COM Program Director-Policy & Business Planning, IBM Internet Division ---------------------- Forwarded by Roger Cochetti/Washington/IBM on 10/10/98 03:49 PM --------------------------- To: DNSPOLICY@NTIA.DOC.GOV@ internet From: John Patrick/Somers/IBM @ ibmus Subject: IBM COMMENT ON DOMAIN NAME PROPOSAL COMMENTS BY IBM CORPORATION ON PRIVATE SECTOR PROPOSAL FOR NEW DOMAIN NAME CORPORATION IBM is pleased to provide comments on the above subject, pursuant to the Department of Commerce's September 29, 1997 press release and its notice on the above subject posted at the Web site of the National Telecommunications Information Administration (NTIA). ( Web site "http://www.ntia.doc.gov"). For the past three years, a variety of efforts have been undertaken both within the private sector and among governmental representatives, to establish a permanent, private sector organization that would succeed the United States Government, and organizations selected by it, in managing the central administrative functions of the Internet. These functions include the management of: the allocation of IP addresses; the top-level domain name space; the network of root servers; and the numbering of Internet protocols. In order for the Internet to realize its potential as a global network of networks that supports commercial, educational, cultural, and social functions, it is essential that its central administrative functions be managed by an organization that is both international in character and unambiguous in the private sector. It is also essential that these and related Internet administrative functions continue to operate smoothly and seamlessly even as we proceed through a period of fundamental organizational change in how they are managed. Finally, it is essential that any plan that emerges enjoy the widest possible support from the Internet community and that it be designed to give due respect to intellectual property and other rights that lie at the foundatio n of a successful Internet. For these reasons, IBM has followed the discussions over the creation of a new Internet management organization with great care and made continuous contributions to those discussions. Most recently, we have followed closely and contributed directly to the immediate private sector efforts to develop a specific and workable plan. IBM believes that the proposal for the establishment of a Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) submitted by Jon Postel on behalf of IANA on October 2, 1998 represents a workable and viable plan for the new Internet management organization that is needed. While no single proposal in this area would ever enjoy unanimous support in the private sector, we believe this plan enjoys the widest possible global support. Inevitably, that means that there are some provisions of this proposal that do not reflect IBM's preferences. Nonetheless, taken as a whole, the proposal for an ICANN, including its Interim Board of Directors, represents a major step forward in Internet self-governance. We intend to support the proposal for the creation of ICANN in every way possible, and we would encourage the U.S. Government and the governments of other countries to do so as well. ====================================================