David Schutt
Candidate in ICANNATLARGE.COM 11-members Panel Election July 2002

Candidate Statement

Born May, 1957
Chicago, IL USA

Currently, I work as information systems manager at a small manufacturer in the US midwest.

My background is quite varied, at times in the past I have been a musician, motorcycle messenger, factory worker, and for several years I had an independent business that designed electronics and wrote software for the manufacturing industry.

For the past five years or so I've been participating in various Internet policy initiatives and groups, including the IFWP, BWG, and others. I've always focused on issues as they relate to users, specifically free speech.

I believe An Atlarge organization should be for all Internet users.

With that said, my primary focus is currently on DNS registrants, as the negative impact on registrants of industry policy as expressed through ICANN is Internet wide,and crosses national boundaries.

I think the mission of an Atlarge should include education, advocacy, and services. These are all things that can and should be done independently of ICANN. An Atlarge should use as its organizing principle the needs of users, not the needs of ICANN.

Each of the elements of education, advocacy, and services should be focused on empowering the user.

Education should be both general and issue specific.

Advocacy should be in any appropriate forum. Not just ICANN.

Services should address the inherent imbalance of resources of individuals and small organizations when they are confronted with the results of industry marketing and lobbying.

An effective Atlarge will need funding, and the sources of funding should be diverse. Sources may include grants, donations, nominal membership fees, and fees for some services.

Whatever the mix of funding, fees or dues should not be a barrier to anyone who wishes to participate in, or contribute to, the Atlarge.

Thank you

David H Schutt
david@aminal.com
atlarge forum id daminal