[ncdnhc-discuss] Internet is global=we need central planning

[Kent Crispin]

On Wed, May 01, 2002 at 12:48:14PM -0400, James Love wrote:
> Maybe Dave Crocker is right.  Maybe the entire world has never figured out
> how to coordinate any global allocation decisions without a single global
> body making *all* of the decisions.

That is basically correct, though there is an ambiguity in the scope of
your use of the term "*all*". 

>  On the other hand, maybe Dave Crocker
> is blind to the world around him, which has functioned for a long time
> without such global central planning agencies.

Sorry, that is incorrect.  In every singele case, where there is actual
global allocation taking place, such agencies/authorities/agreements do
in fact exist. 

>  Maybe he can't see the
> connection between the world outside of ICANN and the world that ICANN wants
> to create.   My advice is "wake up."  If ICANN can identify some stuff that
> requires global decision making by a single body, the burden should be on
> ICANN to say what it is.

It has done so.  You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him
drink, etc. 

>  And ICANN should allow local decision making when
> the issues do not require global policy making.

It does.

>  We already have more than
> 100 ccTLDS that are not regulated by ICANN.  If ICANN disappeared tomorrow,
> no one would notice. 

That's not true.

> If ICANN wants to find a place to be useful, it needs
> to be more modest about what it insists of doing.

ICANN has been modest in its claims from the beginning.  Your imaginary 
all-powerful ICANN is just a figment of your imagination.

>  It could play a role in
> doing some of the TLD coordination.   It shouldn't be czar of all TLD
> decisions.

It isn't.

>  If ICANN can't share power, maybe ICANN should be killed, and we
> should find a body that doesn't have to be the ultimate galaxy wide god of
> all decisions.   I shouldn't have to explain to the ICANN staff or Dave
> Crocker why it is feasible to make decisions locally, and coordinate
> minimalist globally.   Pick up a phone a dial a phone number.  It works,
> globally.

And there is a global agreement (ie, authority) about how that is done.

>    IP numbers are assigned by regional bodies.

Under a global agreement, with an agency that hands out the global
assignments. 

>  ccTLDs deal with
> national governments.

Sometimes they do, sometimes they don't

>  ISOC has local chapters.  Someone somewhere must have
> the brains to draw the line between local and global decision making.

It would help to start with facts instead of imagination.

-- 
Kent Crispin                               "Be good, and you will be
Technical Support Manager, ICANN            lonesome."
crispin at icann.org,kent at songbird.com                    -- Mark Twain