RE: [ga] FW: Comment from the gTLD Registry Constituency

[Karl Auerbach <karl@cavebear.com>]

On Sun, 29 Sep 2002, Gomes, Chuck wrote:

> I disagree with a couple points Karl.  Public utility commissions are
> properly equipped to perform their regulatory role and they provide
> procedures of due process; that makes them a very poor comparison with
> ICANN.

I read the situation the other way round - Public Utility Commissions
(usually) do a decent job trying to do their job; ICANN doesn't.  It isn't
the job that is the difference, it is the competency (or lack thereof)  
with which the job is done (or not done.)

ICANN is created to server the public interest - it says so right there in 
the Articles of Incorporation.  It is odd indeed that a body that is so 
dedicated should work for so long and with such determination to exclude 
the public from its forums while, at the same time, elevate and empower 
those bodies that, as a general matter, see the public as the source of 
their income.

> ICANN was given a very narrow mission

ICANN may have been "given" a narrow mission but it as grabbed and pulled
and insinuated itself into jobs to the point where ICANN has become a
supranational legislature of trademarks, judge and jury of trademarks, and
policeman of trademarks.  It has also become the micromanager of a myriad
forms of DNS businesses.

Virtually none of this has anything to do with the technical stability of
the internet - i.e. the ability of the net to swiftly, accurately, and
reliably move IP packets from source to destination addresses, and the
ability of ICANN's root to swiftly, accurately, and reliably delegate DNS
queries to TLD servers.

> Also, I know its popular to think that ICANN is captured by those it
> regulates, and for our own business interests, I almost wish that was the
> case.

One has only to look at the gift of .com in perpetuity and of the 
withholding of new TLD slots from those who wish to enter the domain name 
marketplace and thus benefiting the incumbents.


		--karl--


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