Re: xTLD BoF and mailing list

[Milton Mueller <mueller@syr.edu>]

I think there were some misconceptions in this message that need to be
addressed directly.

The gTLD-MoU formed by ITU, ISOC, and WIPO cannot be equated with
"The Internet Community." Nor is it accurate to say that the US Government is
interfering with the actions of this so-called "community."
Indeed, this way of thinking is one of the reasons why the transition to
a fully international Internet administered by a body independent of the
US government is so difficult.

Mr. Faelstoroem wrote:
>We also see that Jon Postel and IANA have a firm support from people in
>the IETF and on the Internet arena, and that support IS important regardless
>what happens. I will encourage people to, whatever the solution will be
>at the end of this discussion, support IANA and the Internet principles
>which so far has ruled, so mr Magaziner understands that he can not "just"
>descide what should happen. Especially we which are not US-based
>companies must be a bit worried that the US Government tries to (still) control
>the Internet which they seem to think is not international, but belong to
>the US.

Some simple facts:
* Jon Postel and IANA are funded by the US Government. They act under contract
to the US government. They do not have the authority to make international
treaties
or to reconfigure the administration of the Internet on their own, no matter how
much
support they have among the IETF.

* the Internet has grown vastly beyond the IETF and the traditional "Internet
community."
Indeed, it is inaccurate to view the Internet as a "community" anymore. It is a
global
arena for communication and commerce and its operations therefore must be
subjected to
more formal legal and business procedures.

* Mr. Magaziner is not "just deciding" what happens. The US government has held
a formal notice of inquiry, it has consulted widely, it has issued a green paper,
and, most
importantly, it holds the real legal authority over the root. The issue is not
WHETHER
the US government has the authority to do this. The issue is how to get that
authority OUT of its
hands and into a wider, international body. Magaziner and others in the US govt
definitely
want to do this. But the process must occur under US law, because that is where
IANA
and the roots reside. If you want to get control of the Internet out of the hands
of the US
government, this is really the only way to do it.

--Milton Mueller

Toru Takahashi wrote:

> In these days, there have been big efforts to create new gTLD by
> Internet Community. As a result, 88 registrars are assigned and formed CORE. In
>
> other hand US Gov.issued so called Green Paper on Jan. 30. There are some
> confusion among PAB, CORE and POC. Green Paper raised problems of Registry and
> Registrar architecture, at the same time. Root servers are key of Registry.
>
> And Jon Postel of IANA is asking to make regional groups of country code
> TLD(or National TLD). This is another issue of TLD concern. Many national NICs
> may concern.
>
> I expect Mr. Patrik Faelstoroem(member of POC) to join and speak about
> whole situation of CORE/POC. And Mr. Adam Peake (Glocom) to report about the
> status of ccTLD. Are there any reports or comments?
>
> I also expect all of you to address your opinion on registry/registrar
> issues. Already mailing list is set up by David R. Conrad as follows:
> ap-tld-request@apnic.net
> There are two mailinglist; gTLD and nTLD. You can cancel any of them.
>
> See you soon in Manila.
>
> Toru Takahashi
>
> --------------------------------------------------------
> TAKAHASHI Toru  toru@TokyoNet.AD.JP
> http://www.TokyoNet.AD.JP/people/toru/toru.html
> Chairman, Tokyo Internet Corp.
> Chairman, Internet Association of Japan(IAJ)
> Phone:+81-3-3341-6302
> Fax:+81-3-3341-2881
> Address:8th Floor, Sekaido bldg., 3-1-1 Shinjuku,
>         Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 160 Japan
> ------------------------------------------------------
>
> [RESPONSE FROM PATRICK CONCATENATED BELOW]
>
> From: Patrik =?iso-8859-1?Q?F=E4ltstr=F6m?= <paf@swip.net>
> To: Toru Takahashi <toru@TokyoNet.AD.JP>
> Subject: Re: xTLD BoF and mailinglist
> Cc: apia-member@apia.org, faoc@teckla.apnic.net, ap-tld@apnic.net,
>         dom-wg@nic.ad.jp, chon@cosmos.kaist.ac.kr, jun@wide.ad.jp,
>         apng-all@apng.org, rconnell@psi-japan.comenruiries@moniker.net,
>         registrar@overseas.co.tw, gtld@melbourneit.co.au,
>          mao@cnnic.net.cn,
>         royfang@pcdc.net, ckp@nca.or.kr, admin@namehost.com,
>         info@globalnames.net, hongde@gbnic.gb.com.cn,
> info@capital.net.au,
>         arakawa@email.co.jp, terasima@TokyoNet.AD.JP
>
> At 18:45 1998-02-06 +0900, Toru Takahashi wrote:
> >I expect Mr. Patrik Faelstoroem(member of POC) to join and speak about whole
> >situation of CORE/POC.
>
> That is correct.
>
> >Are there any reports or comments?
>
> As of today, POC and CORE are still working as if nothing has happened
> (almost). POC is though communicating with mr Magaziner and others
> responsible for the green paper to see if there is a way of getting some
> common understanding of the problems surrounding the gTLDs. We
> especially
> are pointing out the problems they will have because of  the lack of
> details in their paper.
>
> We also see that Jon Postel and IANA have a firm support from people in
> the
> IETF and on the Internet arena, and that support IS important regardless
> what happens. I will encourage people to, whatever the solution will be
> at
> the end of this discussion, support IANA and the Internet principles
> which
> so far has ruled, so mr Magaziner understands that he can not "just"
> descide what should happen. Especially we which are not US-based
> companies
> must be a bit worried that the US Government tries to (still) control
> the
> Internet which they seem to think is not international, but belong to
> the US.
>
> To conclude, discussions are going on, and those discussions are built
> on a
> foundation of arguments that the Internet and especially IANA do have
> firsm
> support from the Internet community. Because of that, this is maybe more
> a
> request for support from people than a description of what is happening.
> Do
> not be afraid of sending mail to mr Magaziner being worried about the
> change in how Internet is developed, and how the Internet suddenly
> becomes
> a question for the USG.
>
>     Patrik
>
> Email: paf@swip.net            URL: http://www.tele2.se
> PGP: 4D38 91A4 27D9 C8B2 6975  D6BB 21D0 4C57 BD23 6602