Slashdot: Continuing the Distributed DNS System

[Avri Doria]

Hi,

I do not think it is a threat to ICANN's structure.
Yes, it would affect the false monopoly, but as every other bit of ICANN folklore argues, competition breeds improvement and is better for the consumer.

Even if there were multiple roots, ICANN would presumably be the gold standard and would still control a good chunk of the market.  And since it is a public service entity, it really does not matter if a bit of its customer base migrates elsewhere.    Yes, a method would have to be reached for insuring naming uniqueness, but the RIRs, for example, have shown us the way where independent authorities can find ways to agree to policy formulations where addresses, an entity far more critical to the operation of the Internet, can be controlled by fully distributed authorities.  I can think of various ways in which uniqueness could be achieved even when alternate roots or naming constructs come into existence.

So while I am personally still committed to the ICANN solution, I really do not see the threat from other possible solutions.

avri
just starting to think for myself again (ncuc)


On 19 Oct 2011, at 16:19, Nuno Garcia wrote:

> Hi, excelent pointer. This is not the only initiative, and I pointed
> out this issue when answering to one of the election questions. From
> my perspective, this is likely to gain momentum, and eventually, this
> is s real threat to the ICANN's structure.
> 
> BR
> NG
> 
> On 19 October 2011 17:16, Rebecca MacKinnon <rebecca.mackinnon at gmail.com> wrote:
>> 
>> http://tech.slashdot.org/story/11/10/18/1247228/continuing-the-distributed-dns-system
>> 
>> "Last year, piratebay co-founder Peter Sunde gathered coders to begin a
>> decentralized dns system. This is a direct result of the increasing control
>> which the US government has over ICANN. The project is called P2P-DNS and
>> according to the project's wiki, this is how the project is described:
>> 'P2P-DNS is a community project that will free internet users from imperial
>> control of DNS by ICANN. In order to prevent unjust prosecution or denial of
>> service, P2P-DNS will operate as a distributed and less centralized service
>> hosted by the users of DNS. Today the project continues, barely. A majority
>> of interest shifted to namecoin once the idea was realized, but coder Caleb
>> James DeLisle continues on the first project. So far he has DHT nodes and
>> routers worked out, and awaits help on his IRC channel whenever volunteers
>> are willing to join."
>> 
>> Interested in people's views on where these projects are going if anywhere
>> and whether they are likely to gain traction, and if so under what
>> circumstances, adn what it potentially means for non-commercial internet
>> users, particularly activists, whistleblowers, and dissidents.
>> 
>> Thanks.
>> Rebecca
>> --
>> Rebecca MacKinnon
>> Schwartz Senior Fellow, New America Foundation
>> Co-founder, Global Voices
>> Author, Consent of the Networked
>> Cell: +1-617-939-3493
>> Blog: RConversation.blogs.com
>> Twitter: @rmack
>> 
>>