Re: [atlarge-discuss] Outreach : brainstorming ideas and looking for responses

["todd glassey" <todd.glassey@worldnet.att.net>]

I would disagree Esther, my question for you is "the work that you and
others have done to date indicates that all you will be successful with
going forward is more of the same???" - because I don't agree or think you
have a prayer at this point.

The issue is that you folks failed to date to build anything reliable out of
this infrastructure and that to date the amount of  hysteresis**
(http://www.lassp.cornell.edu/sethna/hysteresis/WhatIsHysteresis.html) in
the infrastructure is causing so much noise that it obfuscates the vision
from the outside.

What needs to happen is that we need to cut a deal with the registrars such
that their registrants are opted-in unless they specifically say no... This
is not about enticing to join, its about joining up the next 100,000 people
who hit the registrars as members and making it work.Outreach is for prisons
and the like. We need something much more aggressive... Any way we can get
the UN to just declare every living human to be a member? that's the kind of
start I am looking for.

--------

By the way - you folks might want to know that I submitted a draft to the
IETF to add "Area Code" type root-zone names to the DNS Service Structure.
This one single act will open tens of billions of Domain Names for
registrars and will solve in one fell swoop, the Intellectual Property
issues facing domain name owners in that there can then be any number of any
one domain name.

Many of the Old-school DNS Crowd out  of RFC1033/1034 days will recoil at
this - the Internet is supposed to have nothing but unique addresses on
it... And it does - only they are called IP addresses and there is only one
of them within any physical network or internet context. But as to the DNS
issues facing Registrars globally, we have to ask fundamentally does this
also mean that DNS should likewise be limited to this one instance of name
and my answer is that DNS was originally defined for a much smaller target
audience and as such it has short comings when being applied at the
planetary level...

The real win for you Board Members and other interested parties is in:

    1)    The adoption of this model or one like it to radically increase
the number of domain instances (see also #3 below for interop issues)

    2)    The redeployment of the Global DNS Network Resolution Model  as
per the model defined in #1, so that "some of the new domain contexts can
have only one domain name in them, and those that do, will preclude the rest
of the worlds use thereof." This includes the "Word Based" Root-ZONES  that
have only one TLD within it. This is how a URL that was something like:

http://www.cocacola.com

becomes

http://[global]CocaCola or perhaps http://[tm]Coca-Cola

But more importantly is that in a Multi-Zone area like the US and other
super powers would be, that this allows for multiple instances of DOT COM,
say http://www.jones.com can now exist in each separate zone and refer to
different end-node addresses... which means that with this plan, there can
be more than one Jones.COM...

Many people may say "why" to this, since they are still laboring under the
concept that this is one global network (networld) but most of us that have
looked at Merit.EDU all know its not and with the impending need to support
the concept of eBorders for national security this all makes perfect sense.

    3)    The building of an Internet Root Zone bridge, a set of well known
addresses and conversion services that act as the bridge between the various
Zone Spaces.

    4)    The re-ignition of the Search Engines on the new Internet-II
naming topology.

My take is that there are still many unanswered question regarding global
DNS but that this plan at least opens many more options and especially
honors that there may be any number of roots on this planet and that ICANN
is the layer of interoperability between them.

Otherwise, I would suggest that ICANN has outlived its usefulness and needs
to be disbanded in favor of national operation of the Internet. This will
also force the UN to take a more aggressive stance in managing the
interoperability of the various zones.

Todd

----- Original Message -----
From: "Esther Dyson" <edyson@edventure.com>
To: "todd glassey" <todd.glassey@worldnet.att.net>
Cc: "Richard Henderson" <richardhenderson@ntlworld.com>; "atlarge discuss
list" <atlarge-discuss@lists.fitug.de>
Sent: Sunday, June 16, 2002 5:15 PM
Subject: Re: [atlarge-discuss] Outreach : brainstorming ideas and looking
for responses


> that (doing outreach through registrars) was part of the idea when the
ALSC
> was promoting the notion of DN registrants as voters, though unfortunately
> it didn't get as much support from the registrars as we had hoped.  In the
> end, we all had other more pressing battles to fight.
>
> But I do think that it's a good idea and one that we should revisit when
we
> are more established.
>
> Esther
>
>
> At 10:06 AM 6/16/2002, todd glassey wrote:
> >What we need to do is to cut some deals with the Registrars so that they
> >forward all newly registered DNS customers to us for registration as part
of
> >the At-Large community. We also need to setup some website kiosk wherein
we
> >can publicize what we are up to and our goals... Perhaps if we can get a
> >link from YAHOO or AOL we might be in better shape.
> >
> >Todd
> >
> >----- Original Message -----
> >From: "Richard Henderson" <richardhenderson@ntlworld.com>
> >To: <atlarge-panel@lists.fitug.de>
> >Cc: <atlarge-discuss@lists.fitug.de>
> >Sent: Saturday, June 15, 2002 11:05 AM
> >Subject: [atlarge-discuss] Outreach : brainstorming ideas and looking for
> >responses
> >
> >
> >Help
> >In order to claim that we represent ordinary users and the internet
public,
> >we need to increase our membership significantly. Otherwise we will be
> >marginalised as a minority group, whereas the constituency we seek to
> >promote and represent is in fact millions strong and deserves to have a
> >critical
> >executive role in the administration of the DNS and the future
development
> >of the Internet.
> >
> >ICANN being ICANN, the true voice of the internet majority will always be
> >sidelined (particularly if it challenges ICANN policy) unless it
> >negotiates/determines from a position of numerical strength. Size of
> >membership
> >is what ICANN will most truly fear, because the larger and wider our
> >membership, the stronger our claim to be truly representative.
> >
> >Therefore, the premiss behind the ideas I'm posting (below) is that
> >mass-recruitment is essential, and that we broaden our remit beyond mere
> >"technical mission of ICANN" (which will never attract more than a few
> >thousand) to become an organisation upholding the interests of the
> >individual
> >in the Internet, ranging from the way it is run, to consumer issues, to
> >freedom
> >and justice. Only if we embrace the issue of "The Future of the
Internet" -
> >as it
> >impacts on individuals, families, communities with all their various
> >interests - will
> >we be relevant to many and grow significantly in numbers.
> >
> >The following Outreach ideas are not meant to be wholly rational and
> >"sensible"
> >in the first instance. They are intended to provoke thought, incite
comment,
> >and
> >are basically a brainstorming exercise so we can explore collectively the
> >ways we
> >might achieve a broader membership. Some ideas you may quite like. Some,
you
> >may rule out completely.
> >
> >I take the view that most significant Outreach will take place at a
national
> >or local
> >level, and I regard it as axiomatic that we press forward with
establishing
> >representatives for each country, and websites to accompany that
> >representation
> >wherever possible.
> >
> >OUTREACH IDEAS:
> >
> >Possible points of access and recruitment:
> >
> >1. Through University and College Internet Societies and IT departments,
> >with a
> >view to a student membership and network. This could be a worldwide
feature
> >of
> >our movement, but could be promoted best at national level, with a view
to
> >sending
> >speakers to various campuses. I believe in the idealism of young people,
and
> >they
> >are a vital recruitment zone.
> >
> >2. Through Trade Union movements, interest groups, and
already-established
> >organisations at local and national level. We should demonstrate the
> >importance
> >of a "free" Internet run by people for people, not dominated by big
> >business.
> >We should demonstrate the link between organisations' interests and the
> >future
> >and freedom of the Internet. We should seek to affiliate with these
> >pre-existent
> >organisations and networks, and seek the representation and involvement
of
> >their
> >memberships. It may indeed be possible to 'capture' whole membership
lists
> >of
> >organisations, and link up via e-mail to significantly enlarge our
> >representation of
> >individuals.
> >
> >3. Through a "map" approach, starting with the world, and divisible down
to
> >country and town level, seeking to encourage representation from every
town
> >that
> >has internet access (and indeed, indirectly, seeking representation from
> >those villages
> >and communities that don't). This would be a very graphic method of
> >demonstrating
> >our scale, scope and purpose - as an organisation speaking for ordinary
> >people from
> >every corner of the globe.
> >
> >4. Through conventional coverage and development of links with press and
> >media,
> >working particularly at national and local level. Publicity and Marketing
> >are essential,
> >and strategies should be consciously developed, targetting opportunities
and
> >planning
> >the timescale and levels of publicity which will be most beneficial.
> >However, we should
> >never fall into the trap of 'spin' superceding 'substance', and we should
> >always put
> >integrity and truth before image and soundbite.
> >
> >5. Identifying certain key movements, whether Green organisations,
> >religious/cultural
> >groups, UN organisations, commerce or small business groups. Working out
the
> >"interface" and common ground on which to approach them, and
demonstrating
> >how
> >the future of the internet (and its administration) is vital to them.
> >
> >6. Negative strategies. I believe it would be very useful to analyse,
> >develop, and
> >summarise for publicity, some of the most glaring failures, abuses, and
> >controversies
> >ICANN and its close allies have been guilty of. This is all part of the
> >process of
> >conviction and argument and recruitment (rest assured, ICANN would not
> >hesitate
> >to do the same to us). Clearly, this negative sub-category would merely
be a
> >small
> >argument in our prevailing positive message.
> >
> >7. "Themed" initiatives. For example, you develop an initiative called
> >"Schools of the
> >World" linking to the theme "Sharing the Future : the Internet for All
Our
> >Children".
> >In a similar vein to the "map" approach, you try to spread out and
involve
> >as many
> >schools worldwide as possible. (This would be facilitated if we
constructed
> >links with
> >eg Teachers' Unions etc.) We try to get a teacher representive (or more
than
> >one) and
> >we link to interest/education/freedom issues and information. Setting up
> >(from simple
> >beginnings) a global movement like this would extend the scope of our
> >membership,
> >the importance of a free internet for all children, and the great thing
> >about schools is
> >that they are so closely knitted into their communities in so many
places.
> >
> >8. Club membership and affiliation : the world is full of clubs, hobbies,
> >interests etc.
> >Set up lists of organisations, listed geographically and by
> >subject/category. Approach
> >clubs through national and local representatives. Explain how the
Internet
> >and its future
> >matters for them. Encourage even just ONE representative to join our
> >organisation
> >(and of course, develop from there to involve the rest of their
membership
> >list).
> >
> >9. Exploiting the mass-following of sport worldwide. Sport is an
interface
> >which is
> >worldwide. It can be an image of worldwide friendship, involvement and
> >things we have
> >in common. And the Internet is a meeting place, a linking place, and a
place
> >for
> >supporters and players. Take Football for example : using the same "map"
> >method, you
> >could try to create a link and representative with as many clubs as
possible
> >in every
> >country on the planet... "The Internet Future : is YOUR club represented
> >yet?" Sport is
> >high-profile. Sport uses the Internet. Clubs may be willing to exchange
> >links. And
> >supporters might join up so that their own teams are represented in this
> >worldwide
> >process of representation.
> >
> >10. Dialogue and Targetting Interested Parties. For example, analysis of
> >whois lists
> >enables me to see who are the most active domain registrants in the .info
> >and .biz
> >roll-outs. Why not enter into dialogue with some of these? Similarly, at
> >local and
> >national level, why not analyse, identify and engage webmasters, IT
workers,
> >interested
> >groups or businesses? In this area we might not enrol such high numbers,
but
> >we would
> >be attracting a more informed group, and a membership with the kinds of
> >skills we
> >could use.
> >
> >CONCLUSION.
> >
> >If you've read all this, I applaud your stamina. You could probably think
of
> >another
> >10 initiatives in place of these. What I'm doing here is more of a
"vision"
> >thing than a
> >"practical logistics" thing. And these ideas may be kicked into touch by
one
> >or all.
> >I'm just brainstorming.
> >
> >But the point I'm trying to make is : without a substantial membership,
our
> >influence is
> >limited and our claims can be marginalised in the very area we argue most
> >strongly
> >- representation.
> >
> >And yet, if we broaden our scope a little, while keeping ICANN/DNS/"How
the
> >Internet is Run" as a central project, we can create the kind of scale
and
> >representation
> >(and global representation too) which ICANN knows will have the moral
> >authority to
> >demand representation and executive power.
> >
> >The Internet is a Worldwide resource for all the ordinary people of the
> >world. The
> >people of the world have a right to determine its development and its
> >future. That's
> >simple democracy. And much as Mr Sims loves to rule out "global
democracy"
> >along these lines, what we are proposing here is in fact something
> >idealistic and about
> >freedom and the reality - that the internet has truly become something
that
> >belongs to
> >ALL the people of the world. Its ideas, its dreams, its freedom, its
> >sorrows, its charities,
> >its projects... it is this power for such great good, and for bringing
> >ordinary individual
> >people together.
> >
> >The concept of global representation, and the right of the millions upon
> >millions of
> >ordinary people to have a priority over big business in the decisions
taken
> >over the
> >development of the Internet : this is an ideal which is waiting to be
turned
> >into a reality.
> >Because it is an ideal (and a beautiful ideal too, because the Internet
is
> >growing so
> >many creative opportunities for ordinary people) it will face opposition
> >from those tired,
> >grey, sordid power-brokers for whom the control of the net is more about
> >"control" and
> >"vested interest" and "power"...
> >
> >But the Internet has unleashed a different kind of power, creative,
> >democratic,
> >subversive of dishonesties and stolen power.
> >
> >So... however impractical some of my brainstorming ideas may seem... I
> >invite you to tell
> >ME, in reply, the ways YOU think we can "grow" a membership which truly,
> >and authoritatively, represents the interests of the ordinary people of
the
> >internet - millions
> >and millions of them.
> >
> >Faced with a movement that grows exponentially, and embraces openness and
> >democracy,
> >ICANN will find it very hard indeed to exclude its greatest constituency.
> >
> >Richard Henderson
> >
> >
> >
> >
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>
>
> Esther Dyson                    Always make new mistakes!
> chairman, EDventure Holdings
> writer, Release 3.0 (on Website below)
> edyson@edventure.com
> 1 (212) 924-8800    --   fax  1 (212) 924-0240
> 104 Fifth Avenue (between 15th and 16th Streets; 20th floor)
> New York, NY 10011 USA
> http://www.edventure.com
>
> The conversation continues..... at
> http://www.edventure.com/conversation/
>
>
>
>
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