[ncdnhc-discuss] Decentalization proposal for ICANN Evolution and Reform

[Dave Crocker]

At 10:31 PM 4/8/2002 -0400, Michael Froomkin - U.Miami School of Law wrote:
>Exactly.  With all those secret Board meetings, All the fixed resolutions
>that turn up a the last minute, all the manipulation, there is now no
>trust.

Let's be honest Michael.  For some there has never been any trust.  How can 
there be?  To have trust means that one is willing to be reasonable.

Professional ICANN critics pay far more attention to criticizing every 
detail about ICANN than to the pragmatic constraints for administering 
critical global infrastructure.


>There was a lot of trust three years ago.

For someone claiming long involvement, either you have an impressively poor 
memory or you weren't very involved back then.

Vigorous criticism of IANA/ICANN activities has been going strong for at 
least 5 years.  Roughly two years before ICANN was developed.


>   Despite its dodgy secretive
>origins

In fact, ICANN has been vastly more open and inclusive than any comparable 
activity in history, Michael.

The problem has been comparing it to various ideals, none of which has any 
real world instantiation for similar scope and operation.


>It is evident that all that matters in ICANN is votes.

Actually what is evident is that what primarily matters to the board is 
ensuring safe operation of a critical infrastructure service.  That 
requires moving slowly and careful.  Anything else would be irresponsible.


>   The DNSO changes
>the rules to re-elect its chair to keep business control.  The Board
>refuses to have a a majority the dominant faction cannot control,

Whereas you are eager to have a selection mechanism that guarantees the 
Board will be controlled by a constituency more interested in treating 
ICANN like a civil society experiment than in focusing on safe operation of 
critical infrastructure.  (And, yes, the redundancy of that phrase is 
intentional to help folks remember what ICANN is all about.)

d/

----------
Dave Crocker <mailto:dave at tribalwise.com>
TribalWise, Inc. <http://www.tribalwise.com>
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