Re: [ga] Last minute changes to Verisign agreements

[Dave Crocker <dhc2@dcrocker.net>]

At 11:52 PM 4/1/2001, DPF wrote:
>Oh please.  You wave every single complaint about ICANN away as
>unjustified whinging and never ever seem to wonder if there is a
>reason for it.  Do you really think the whole world is wrong all the
>time?

Please consider the perspective of your comments.

The tiny number of participants in ICANN discussions is not the whole 
world. It is an extremely selective sampling.

As to wondering why there is so much whining, indeed I often do, though you 
will not be surprised that my assessment for the reason(s) is quite 
different from yours.  Please see 
<http://brandenburg.com/presentations/Level-10-routing/> for some of my 
perspective, notably 
<http://brandenburg.com/presentations/Level-10-routing/sld009.htm>.


>I have said the concessions are welcome but the fact concessions have
>been made is absolutely no excuse to act in less than a professional
>manner and require adequate analysis of decisions which have huge and
>irreversible effects.

Thank you for noting the need for professionalism.  Unfortunately your 
assessment of relvant behavior is quite simply wrong.

Professionals make contractual decisions in minutes, not months.


>You also do a dis-service by suggesting that all complaints re process
>are unimportant.

Distorting my comments is not helpful.  I was careful in my writing; please 
be careful in your reading.

Since you are so concerned about process, I am sure that you will 
appreciate the need for carefully attending to what people really say.


>A complaint that one has less
>than 24 hours and no formal opportunity for input is not trivial and
>in fact goes to the very heart of ICANN's bylaws and founding
>principles.

This takes us directly back to the core fact that Verisign is running a 
business and has no philosophical interest, and even less business 
incentive, in the casual process that you want.

They have an existing contract.  They have agreed to an alternative.  They 
have a deadline.

The ICANN Board has a choice to make and the choice is required by the 
deadline.

You might see the latest revision as an example that public feedback can 
have an effect; you are right.  You might see it as meaning that we can get 
a delay; you are almost certainly wrong.  Changing dates affects schedules; 
changing schedules affects expenses and revenues.

What is Verisign's incentive for agreeing to a delay?


>If I had a casual attitude about the content I would try to make a
>snap judgement on them without having time to gather further
>information and do a detailed analysis.  It is due to my desire to be
>able to consider the content that say the main issue for now is
>gaining the delay.

In the last MONTH of careful analysis through public discussion, there was 
intense focus on issues that were entirely irrelevant to the contract 
choice, and essentially no attention to the key contract differences that 
matter.

For all of the claim that people want to do careful analysis, they have not 
been doing it.

What is notably casual is the attitude towards the actual services being 
provided to the net.

d/

----------
Dave Crocker   <mailto:dcrocker@brandenburg.com>
Brandenburg InternetWorking   <http://www.brandenburg.com>
tel: +1.408.246.8253;   fax: +1.408.273.6464

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