Re: Theology [Was Re: [icann-eu] Re: [ICANN-EU] ccTLDs to ask forBoD seats?]

[Marc Schneiders <marc@schneiders.org>]

On Thu, 30 Nov 2000, at 11:04 [=GMT+0100], Harald Alvestrand wrote:
> At 17:29 29/11/2000 -0500, t byfield wrote:
> >the IAB's RFC 2826 <http://rfc2826.x42.com/> is an excellent
> >example of why i make the analogy to theology:
> >
> >      To remain a global network, the Internet requires the
> >      existence of a globally unique public name space. The
> >      DNS name space is a hierarchical name space derived
> >      from a single, globally unique root. This is a technical
> >      constraint inherent in the design of the DNS. Therefore
> >      it is not technically feasible for there to be more than
> >      one root in the public DNS. That one root must be sup-
> >      ported by a set of coordinated root servers administered
> >      by a unique naming authority.

[...]

> The term "the public DNS" is the important operator: if you have two roots, 
> you no longer have a single public DNS.
> Today, the "rogue" roots are not the public DNS; they are something else.

What exactly are they, those "rogue" roots? They are public, not
private like corporate LANs. Augmented public roots?

> If a large group of ccTLDs and ICANN were truly to fall out with each 
> other, there would no longer be a reasonable choice for applying the term 
> "the public DNS", and the comparision to the Antipope situation is indeed 
> not unreasonable.

> Still, the fact is that the "pope" and the "antipope" each whould have to 
> maintain one root, supported by a set of coordinated root servers 
> administered by an unique naming authority.

> The fight would be over who owned the term "the public DNS" for their root.
> And the users would lose.

Since both the pope and the antipope(s) (there were three at a time)
held the same tenets in matters that mattered, no people were really
damned because of all this. As long as all roots carry the same main
TLDs, there is no problem. Most people wouldn't even notice it.

We do have a problem, when one root throws out certain TLDs, or starts
a conflicting TLD, ignoring the same one that exists in another root.

And of course this action will be defended by the root that takes it,
by pointing out, that they are the one and only true public root,
sanctioned, yes sanctified, from above, and the others vile heretics,
which should be burned, as soon as possible.

-- 
Marc Schneiders (rest in header)