ICANN is Broke and Vint Cerf passes the tin cup on its behalf

[Heiko Recktenwald <UZS106@ibm.rhrz.uni-bonn.de>]

Dies versteh ich alles nicht so genau, ausser dass Gordon Cook es sozusagen
undemokratisch findet. Blickt bei diesen nervigen Nameserversachen, nur
darum gehts doch hier, noch einer durch ?? Warum geht uns das etwas an ??
Und wie sind denn die entsprechenden De-nic Regeln ??

Nun denn:


How sad that Vint Cerf as co creator of the most important protocol of the
20th century is now prepared to use ISOC as the means of installing an
authoritarian unaccountable regulatory regime over the very internet which
he and Jon Postel played such an extraordinarily important role in creating.

I have interviewed Vint twice before and most recently opened the pages of
the COOK Report to him less than a year ago by publishing his 4,000 word
rebuttal of John Currans analysis of the effect on the Internet of
Worldcom's acquisition of MCI.  He knows that I have treated him fairly in
the past and will do so in the future.  I have suggested that he explain in
some detail why ICANN is so important and how he would justify accepting
the kind of closed regime that ICANN wishes to impose on the internet.  If
ICANN can be justified by means of more than the brief hyperbole below,
Vint ought to be able to do it.  Regretablely he has shown no interest in
taking me up on my offer.

Quite frankly I find Vint's allusion to NSI in the note below not at all
flattering.  He should name NSI to make it clear that he is complaining
about NSI not contributing to an organization (ICANN) that would like to
dismantle it.  It has long been fasionable to complain about the hated NSI
monopoly.  Now that we have seen how ICANN is ready to hobble the entire
nascent DNS industry with a bureaucracy of which only the ITU could be
proud, as well as prepared to give the tradmark interests the upper hand
over the business futures of small proprietors, I predict that we will soon
be getting a "cure" far worse than the original disease.

Vint's mention of Mike Nelson's role is telling.  I have observed Mike for
nearly a decade during which he has for the entire time been devoted to
promoting the interests of IBM.  Those belonging to innovative greenfield
companies  who are being asked for contributions should ponder long and
hard the meaning of IBM's promoting ICANN's interests.  Given the current
direction if ICANN succedes we are likely to find that a seat at the policy
table will cost something along the lines of the $65,000 charged by the
WC3.  Money and large corporate political power will be used by ICANN to
further the interests of those who pay the most.  The sweat equity entry
fee of the IETF will be come a thing of the past along with American
technology leadership in the internet.  When the bankers and lawyers move
in those who live by their ability to innovate will find that Vint is using
ISOC to destroy that ability.

That is the danger represented by ICANN and the reason why those who want
to preserve the Internet as an engine of wealth creation and job creation
should oppose Vints plea and refuse to give ICANN a nickel for why would
any rational person support something fundamentally hostile to his or her
interests?

Major process issues are involved.  I invite those who are interested to
click on the following URL for a talk that I give in December at CANARIE to
better understand why ICANN must be left to founder.

http://www.canarie.ca/eng/networks/optical/pg15/cook-pg15.pdf

That Vint would be blind to these process isssues I find especially
appalling,  I also urge all ISOC trustees to debate long and hard before
allowing Vint and his friend Don Heath to continue to use ISOC as the
vehicle to, in effect, promote the global regulation of the Internet
through ICANN.  That it should now require two million dollars a year to do
functions that basically have been done for a tiny fraction of that cost is
absurd.  Unless what he have going on here is an effort to provide ICANN
with a legal defense fund warchest.  Vint is inviting the community to deal
with a two edged sword.  The community needs to excercise great caution.



>
>> From:	vinton g. cerf [SMTP:vcerf@MCI.NET]
>> Sent:	Friday, February 12, 1999 6:18 AM
>> To:	ISOC-ADVISORY-COUNCIL@listserv.isoc.org
>> Subject:	Funding ICANN - IMPORTANT, PLEASE READ
>> Importance:	High
>>
>> To: all ISOC Advisory Council Members
>> Subject: Funding ICANN
>> From: Vint Cerf, Chairman of the Board, ISOC
>>
>>
>> It is now more important than ever before to provide funding for
>> the newly-created Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers
>> (ICANN).
>> The organization is in operation, it has an interim board of directors
>> chaired by Esther Dyson and an interim CEO, Mike Roberts.
>>
>> The organization has raised a modest amount of funding thus far, in the
>> $250,000 range, but it needs at least $1,000,000 and perhaps as much as
>> twice that, before it can establish a funding mechanisms by way of the
>> domain name registrars and internet address assignment organizations.
>>
>> A number of companies have provided funds in modest amounts of $25,000 to
>> $50,000 each. Contributions in any amount are, of course, welcomed, but
>> plainly the financial support of all of us who benefit from the orderly
>> management of these functions will be needed in this interim period while
>> regular funding mechanisms are worked out.
>>
>> The need is very great. Some organizations over which ICANN has cognizance
>> are extremely well-funded. One domain name registrar has just gone into
>> the capital markets to obtain a reported $700M in a secondary stock
>> offering.
>>
>> ICANN needs your support now just to be able to operate in the context of
>> such
>> well-funded constituents. As a non-profit, ICANN does not have access to
>> capital funding of this kind.
>>
>> I have copied Mike Nelson, who is managing a funding campaign for the
>> Global Internet Project.
>>
>> I have also copied Mike (Roberts), the interim CEO
>> of ICANN. Mike, can you do two things for us:
>>
>> 1. confirm or revise the information on where to wire funds or to send
>>    contributions
>>
>> 2. provide a list of companies from whom support has been obtained
>> (assuming
>>    they have not requested anonymity) so that Internet Society Advisory
>>    Council members will know whether their companies have already made
>> such
>>    a contribution.
>>
>> There is nothing more vital than to provide support for ICANN in this
>> fluid period of formation. Your support is very much appreciated.
>>
>> Vint Cerf
>>
>>
>> Account information for contributions to ICANN:
>>
>> Account number 09141-04900
>> Wire transfer routing indicator 121000358
>> Bank of American branch 0914
>> 4754 Admiralty Way
>> Marina Del Ray, CA 90292-6905
>> 310-247-2080
>>
>> Personal contact at branch is:
>> Olga Erskine at 310-827-0162
>>
>>
>> See also: www.icann.org
>> =================================================================
>
>
>Respectfully,
>
>Jay Fenello
>President, Iperdome, Inc.
>404-943-0524  http://www.iperdome.com

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NOTE: Contempt in which ICANN PRES. MIKE ROBERTS holds rest of Internet:
"Some of those people think the management [ICANN] should check with the
public [the Communities of the Internet] every time they make a decision,
which is crazy," Roberts said. "That's flat-out crazy." WIRED NEWS 2/4/99
***************************************************************************