Re: [ICANN-EU] Here I am

["Bertram Gebauer" <bertram@iiv.de>]

First: I don't know whether I will be able to answer any question.
There are too much mailing lists und too much questions dealing
with ICANN.

> What kind of new ideas do the candidates have?
Well, I guess, that during the next few years some new
protocols will come up, some of them will be important
for everybody. E.g.: Technology for domestic appliances.

ICANN will be involved very early, so my idea is that
the european director has to bring the information to the
people.

You say, there is no new idea? Your're right. I will try
to do it just in another way, in a way, where I can reach
more than just the interested industry. This means a lot
of work, it's not enough to write a mail in an mailing
list. You have to write real paper-based letters to the
institutions in charge to wake them up.

> What interests are you going to speak up for?
I'm elected as president of the Union of Citizens Networks.
This means, I promised to try to do the best for the
people. 

Maybe you may call me nuts. There must be some
people doing it this way, it's not a shame to work
just for honor.

> A well-argued minority opinion can be important and fruitful.
Sometimes it depends on the way it is published - 
and on the publishing person or institution.

In between I had to learn, that mighty institutions will
find "interesting" ways to save their interests. Take a
look on the history of this elections. It will be a long
way until we will make the rules.

And, just to answer a statement of Andreas: When
you're invited to speak as a member of the board of
directors of ICANN, the people want to hear something
about what ICANN is planning. Got the point? You will
never be invited when you tell the people just your 
opinion. Maybe you can give some small personal
notes within a speech. Maybe, interested people will
ask.

> Could you elaborate a bit on the "educational part"?  Is this the
> "mail & news only" access I was told about several years ago?
No.
We made a program called "Internet from A - Z". This is a
certificat-based education, where we try to guarantee the
quality of education. E.g.: Every teacher has to prove his
qualification in a test.

There were told a lot of stories some years ago. Most of
them are influenced by politics. As far as there is any 
interest in this things: just ask. But I won't be boring
for you.

> I suppose you don't want to imply any causal connection here, right?
Right.
A strange story, again. Interested?

> Congratulations.  How's the Bürgernetz funded today?
Every part (educational and technical part) has to make
his own etat, based on its own activities. Means: Our
educational institutions have to get money for their
education, the technical units have to get money for
internet access and other services.

There is a "handbook" available (in german language)
where you can find examples. 

> How does it
> compare to commercially-available internet access, with which it
> seems to compete at first sight?
We have do do our job, this means, we have to take care,
that we have enough money to buy the necessary hard-
and software for our job. We get this money as very
nomal providers.

Again: It's not a shame to work just for an idea and earn
enogh money to pay it. In my opinion this is the only
way to make a system run. Does anybody know NPTN?
This is the lesson I learned.

> And how is your perspective different from, say, an ISP or Telekom
> executive?
Once a year every member is invited to a regional meeting.
Everybody can tell his opinion, and as far as there are
enough people of the same opinion, they can elect new
leaders.

Have you ever been asked to elect Ron Sommer?

Every of our organisations is asked to give ressources for own
developments to the members, e.g. to enable scripts.

I think this is the most democratic way we can do it
within german law. Of course, this way of freedom means,
that our organisations don't work in a unique way. It
depends on the local leaders, whether they are interested
in technic, commerce, politics or whatever.

Bertram

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bürgernetzverband e.V.
Bertram Gebauer, Vorsitzender
http://www.buerger.net