Re: [ga-roots] Re: ICANN Policy -- revised version

[Jeff Williams <jwkckid1@ix.netcom.com>]

David and all,

 David, we are in complete agreement with you position and comments
here without equivocation.  Well done and well stated!

David Hernand wrote:

> Mr. Lynn:
>
> With all due respect, your unilateral efforts to divine official ICANN
> policy from charter documents and RFCs is no different than efforts of
> religious zealots to declare their one true interpretation of biblical
> texts.  We will offer our own views on the substance of your recent "draft"
> policy statement (and already have offered an alternative view in our policy
> paper released prior to the Stockholm meeting -- available at www.new.net),
> but we strongly disagree with your approach to setting ICANN policy without
> input from the Internet community and debate by ICANN constituencies, GA,
> Names Council and Board of Directors.  In essence, it appears that the ICANN
> Staff is trying to ram through its own view of the role of alternative roots
> and naming systems, while simultaneously attempting to stifle debate on
> these issues by proclaiming that any challenge to the Staff's
> self-proclaimed policy must follow the same bottoms-up consensus approach
> that the Staff is unwilling to utilize.
>
> It is curious that the policy statement at issue was originally posted to
> the ICANN website as a "draft" paper intended to spur discussion, and then
> quickly evolved (over the course of one week) into a formal articulation of
> existing ICANN policy.  We question the motives and timing of this effort by
> the ICANN Staff to create a trumped-up official policy that the Staff can
> then use to publicly discredit and discourage use of competing naming
> systems.  While we support ICANN's efforts to act as a global
> technical-standards settings body, we think that the Staff's recent efforts
> will only further alienate ICANN from those working to improve the current
> system and Internet users generally.
>
> David Hernand
> CEO
> New.net
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-ga-roots@dnso.org [mailto:owner-ga-roots@dnso.org]On Behalf
> Of M. Stuart Lynn
> Sent: Friday, June 15, 2001 12:42 PM
> To: Bret Fausett; Milton Mueller; webmaster@babybows.com;
> ga-roots@dnso.org
> Subject: Re: [ga-roots] Re: ICANN Policy -- revised version
>
> I understand and welcome your views, Brett, But I could not disagree more.
>
> ICANN has many policies that are embodied in our charter documents
> that have not been separately and explicitly codified in a single
> policy document. For example, we have a policy derived from those
> documents that commit us to further the stability of the Internet.
> There has been no bottom-up process to codify that - except as was
> embodied in the founding of ICANN and in the finalization of those
> documents.
>
> When there are important issues on the table, I will continue to
> summarize existing policies that may be embodied in those documents
> and elsewhere (including those that have been explicitly stated) and
> articulate them for the community. Particularly - as in this case -
> when I receive enquiries as to what our policy on a given topic may
> be. That is part of my job. This is no different than our restatement
> of IANA policies in ICP-1.
>
> Articulating existing policies is very different from creating new
> policy. That requires consensus-based approaches. And I do not think
> any of us disagree on that.
>
> I think we all understand our difference of views on this subject,
> and I doubt we will persuade each other. So it may be best to move
> on. But I will look forward to your specific comments.
>
> With regards
> Stuart
>
> At 9:45 AM -0700 6/15/01, Bret Fausett wrote:
> >The merits of the relative positions aside, I am concerned about a practice
> >of drafting papers outside ICANN's rigorous bottom-up, policy development
> >processes, calling it an attempt to codify existing policy, and then
> >challenging anyone to go through the rigorous bottom-up, policy development
> >process to change it.
> >
> >Again, the merits of the relative positions aside, I'm sure you can
> >appreciate the *potential* for abuse in that kind of process. At this
> point,
> >two and half years into the life of ICANN, if a clear policy has not
> already
> >been written somewhere (and I'm referring to more than a few references to
> >"authoritative roots" in ICANN's foundational documents), I'm not sure it
> >ought to be created now in the name of "existing policy." Consensus
> >policy-making is much harder work than that.
> >
> >I'll have more on the merits of the paper separately, but the process
> issues
> >here are of concern.
> >
> >      -- Bret
> >
> >
> >On 6/15/01 9:17 AM, "M. Stuart Lynn" <lynn@icann.org> wrote:
> >
> >>  It seems, Milton, that academe has arrived at a new standard since I
> >>  left two years ago. Anyone who agrees with you is "honest" and anyone
> >>  who disagrees is not ;-). Well, well!
> >>
> >>  The basis for the statement that ICANN's policy is to support a
> >>  single authoritative root is extensively articulated in my document
> >>  and the references clearly cited. The White Paper, the Memorandum of
> >>  Understanding, and the Articles of Incorporation give clear
> >  > indication of ICANN's Policy. They are ICANN's charter documents. I
> >  > suggest you read them again. They are not very hard to understand and
> >  > their statements with regard to an authoritative single root and to
> >>  competing roots are quite clear. My statement on ICANN Policy is not
> >>  unilateral -- it is well-grounded in the community processes that led
> >>  to the White Paper and to the formation of ICANN.
> >>
> >>  You may disagree. That's fine. It would make for a dull ICANN if
> >>  everyone agreed on everything.
> >>
> >>  And I would encourage you to follow the appropriate processes if you
> >  > would like to see the current policy changed.
>
> --
>
> __________________
> Stuart Lynn
> President and CEO
> ICANN
> 4676 Admiralty Way, Suite 330
> Marina del Rey, CA 90292
> Tel: 310-823-9358
> Fax: 310-823-8649
> Email: lynn@icann.org
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Regards,

--
Jeffrey A. Williams
Spokesman for INEGroup - (Over 118k members strong!)
CEO/DIR. Internet Network Eng/SR. Java/CORBA Development Eng.
Information Network Eng. Group. INEG. INC.
E-Mail jwkckid1@ix.netcom.com
Contact Number:  972-447-1800 x1894 or 214-244-4827
Address: 5 East Kirkwood Blvd. Grapevine Texas 75208


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