Re: [alac] Losing SiteFinder

[Thomas Roessler <roessler@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

One more change...  Wendy's original text said that Sitefinder
"breaks *with* the end-to-end architecture"; Esther removed the
"with".  Thinking about this, Wendy's original version was more
accurate.

On 2003-10-06 22:46:41 +0200, Thomas Roessler wrote:
> From: Thomas Roessler <roessler@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: Esther Dyson <edyson@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, Wendy Seltzer <wendy@xxxxxxxxxxx>,
>       alac@xxxxxxxxx
> Date: Mon, 6 Oct 2003 22:46:41 +0200
> Subject: Re: [alac] Losing SiteFinder
> Mail-Followup-To: Esther Dyson <edyson@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
>       Wendy Seltzer <wendy@xxxxxxxxxxx>, alac@xxxxxxxxx
> X-Spam-Level: 
> 
> Here's a version of the text that incorporates most of Esther's
> changes.  I've left out the suggested change to the last paragraph,
> abouot the "redirection-based" service.  I have also shortened the
> first sentence -- the note on new revenue streams was easy to
> misunderstand, and made the sentence too long.
> 
> 
> ------------------------------
> The ALAC welcomes ICANN's decision to remind Verisign of its
> obligations to run its registries for the public good, and
> VeriSign's compliance with ICANN's demand to shut down SiteFinder.
> 
> SiteFinder's suspension was necessary not only because it broke
> hundreds of specific applications, and because it was forced on
> Internet users around the globe without any advance consultation or
> notice: SiteFinder also needed to be stopped because it broke 

with

> the end-to-end architecture of the Internet to give one company
> monopolistic control of a resource in the center. It's not a
> contest between SiteFinder's search page and MSN's, but between
> giving VeriSign sole, centralized control of the error-handling
> for incorrect URLs and distributing that choice among users and
> applications at the edge of the network. The question is whether
> users can choose what services fit their needs best, or whether
> Verisign can take that choice away from users, forcing them to do
> what's best for Verisign's commercial benefit.
> 
> Sitefinder affects not only the web, but most other applications
> running on the net.  The question here is whether the network is
> kept open for new protocols and applications, or whether it's left
> to Verisign to decide which applications the Internet supports well.
> 
> Keeping SiteFinder out of the center leaves the greatest flexibility
> in the network for those who want to innovate by adding new
> protocols, services, and features at the ends.
> 
> ICANN has called for "further evaluation and study" of the impact of
> SiteFinder. 
> 
> The proper question for VeriSign to consider is whether it will
> reimplement its advertiser-supported search as an option at the edge
> of the network -- where users can elect or decline to use it at
> their will -- or not at all.
> 
> -- 
> Thomas Roessler  <roessler@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> At-Large Advisory Committee: http://alac.info/
> 

-- 
Thomas Roessler  <roessler@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
At-Large Advisory Committee: http://alac.info/