[council] Re: Finalization of "A Unique, Authoritative Rootfor the DNS"

["Milton Mueller" <Mueller@syr.edu>]

>>> vint cerf <vcerf@MCI.NET> 07/10/01 09:05AM >>>

I believe the document states current policy - the unique, authoritative root is
part of the core design of the DNS and the basis for ICANN's responsibility in
the creation of new TLDs.

MM:
If Stuart Lynn's paper really defined current policy
there would be no need for a new document to state it, nor
would there have been a need to solicit "comments and suggestions"
to help define it. 

An existing policy could reference clear, explicit statements,
that already existed. It could refer to past DNSO processes
that explicitly dealt with the relationship between ICANN
and other roots. 

No such documents exist. No such processes can be
referred to.

As for RFC 2826, as I have noted countless times, all that says
is that you need a coordinated root. It doesn't say who coordinates
it, it doesn't say how it gets coordinated or what rules or 
algorithms are used to do so. You could be RFC 2826-compliant
by:

a) avoiding any TLD assignments that conflict with alternate roots
b) adding all alternate root assignments to the ICANN root
c) pretending that alt.roots don't exist

The lack of determinism is proof that no current policy exists.

I am still baffled as to why ICANN management seems to think
that Lynn's paper defines a policy that everyone supports
but is scared to death of allowing that policy to be developed
and ratified by the DNSO.

regards,
MM