William and all,

William X. Walsh wrote:

> Just got this.....
>
> ------- Forwarded Message Follows -------
> Date sent:              Thu, 25 Jun 1998 17:13:26 -0700 (PDT)
> From:                   Jon Postel <postel&#167;ISI.EDU>
> To:                     cctld-admin&#167;ISI.EDU, cctld-tech§ISI.EDU
> Subject:                IANA statement on new organization discussion
> Copies to:              iana&#167;ISI.EDU
>
> Hello:
>
> The IANA has made the following press release and has posed a set of
> points to serve as a focus of discussion regarding the call for a new
> organization in the US Government's "white paper" on "Management of
> Internet Names and Addresses".
>
> --jon.
>
> ==========================================================================
>
> IANA ENDORSES NEW INTERNET MANAGEMENT RECOMMENDATIONS FROM U.S. GOVERNMENT
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> New Organization to Represent Commercial and International Interests,
> Encourage Competition
>
> Marina del Rey, Calif. (June 25, 1998) - The Internet Assigned Numbers
> Authority (IANA) announced its support today for the "Management of
> Internet Names and Addresses" recommendations from the U.S. Department
> of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information
> Administration (NTIA). In a June 5 white paper, the NTIA recommended
> creation of a new, international non-profit to replace the role the
> U.S. government and IANA have played to date in the development of the
> Internet.
>
> The new organization will privatize the domain name system (DNS) and
> reach agreement among international interests in order to encourage
> competition and global participation. IANA is striving toward the
> consensus envisioned by the NTIA paper by working with representatives
> from a wide array of organizations.

This question is directed to Jon Postel and the IANA.  Does this mean that the
IANA is willing to allow a separate organization to be the
new non-profit corporation that is to manage the DNS and IP address system
that the USG's White Paper calls for?

>
>
> "IANA welcomes input from the many expected meetings, discussion
> groups, electronic mailing lists, informal conversations and other
> forms of communications. It is important for all stakeholders in the
> current international and commercial Internet to work together toward
> effective self-governance," said Dr. Jon Postel, head of IANA since its
> formation in the early days of the Internet.
>
> Dr. Postel said that he is delighted with the NTIA recommendation that
> responsibility for the domain, address, and protocol assignment service
> - which have been provided for many years by IANA - transfer to a new
> not-for-profit organization with broad representation.
>
> "The Internet was developed by a small group of university-based
> individuals who have dedicated an enormous amount of time and energy to
> create a robust system that remains stable while allowing tremendous
> growth," said Postel. "In the last few years, we have seen dramatic
> change fueled by international participation and commercial interests.
> Clearly, all those interests must now be fully represented to take the
> Internet to the next stage."
>
> Under Dr. Postel, IANA will offer the historical and technical
> expertise to maintain the stability of the global Internet during the
> transition. He said he is committed to participating in the new
> not-for-profit organization and to working with its chief executive
> officer, who will be chosen by the new board. Dr. Postel is not a
> candidate for that position.
>
> A discussion framework and additional information are available on the
> IANA web site at www.iana.org. Public comments may be sent via email to
> comments&#167;iana.org. The white paper can be found on the NTIA web site at
> www.ntia.doc.gov.
>
> ========================================================================
>
> FRAMEWORK FOR DISCUSSION ON THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF THE NTIA
> "MANAGEMENT OF INTERNET NAMES AND ADDRESSES"
>
> To begin the process of consensus formation of a new organization as
> called for by the NTIA white paper on "Management of Internet Names and
> Addresses", IANA suggests the following key topics.  This list is
> intended to stimulate discussion.
>
> o      The new organization should be a not-for-profit entity to ensure
>        the impartial central coordination of the Internet.
>
> o      The new organization needs to be operational by September 30,
>        1998.
>
> o      A functional framework for the new organization should be in
>        place before this time to allow for the continued stability of
>        the Internet.
>
> o      Broad international and industry consensus should guide the
>        formation of the new organization as it has done in the past.

  What is the definition of consensus?  Is this new organizations board to be an

elected body elected by the Internet Community and the stakeholders at large?
Can the IANA answer these questions in it's opinion?  Please advise.

>
>
> o      The new organization should be the central coordinator of
>        addresses, names, protocols, and the root server system of the
>        global Internet for the public good.

  Does the public, Stakeholders, and the Internet user community have direct
input
to this structure individually or as individual groups collectively by way of
voting for
each consideration to a change or update to the DNS system such as an additional

gTLD or TLD?

>
>
> o      The board of the new organization should represent international
>        and diverse  interests.

  What is the structure to be made up of specifically?  Does what was
recommended
in the Green Paper and again in the White paper stand as that makeup of the
Board?

>
>
> o      Councils of the new organization should handle the work of new
>        top-level domains, criteria for registries and registrars,
>        dispute resolution, and so forth.  The board should insure
>        fairness and vote to implement recommendations brought forth by
>        the councils.

  By the term "Work", does this mean that those councils have the decision as to
when
and what new gTLD's and TLD's should be added to the Root structure?  Does this
mean that the proposed or considered councils have the sole decision as to any
changes in that Root structure?

>
>
> o      Areas represented in the councils should include Internet
>        addresses, domain names, protocols, and user/industry.
>
> o      An interim board should be formed as part of the functional
>        framework of the new organization.  The interim board should
>        handle the process for selecting the full-term board.

  Is this to say that the interim board selects the new Board of Directors?  Or
does the stakeholders and the "Bottom up" approach as the White paper
recommends has the vote to select these new board members for the new
non-profit corporation?

>
>
> o      The board should appoint a CEO.

  Shouldn't this position be determined by the stakeholders and the Internet
community
by individual vote?

>
>
> ========================================================================
>
> Public comments may be sent to "comments&#167;iana.org" and will be posted
> the next day under the "Public Comments" area of the IANA web page at
> www.iana.org.
>
> ========================================================================
>
> The Internet Assigned Numbers Authority is dedicated to preserving the
> central coordinating functions of the global Internet for the public
> good.
>
> ========================================================================
>
> --
> William X. Walsh, Director, Network Operations
> TJ Network Services  william&#167;tjns.tj    http://www.tjns.tj
> Domain Name Services at http://www.fastnames.tj
> Email Services coming soon!
>

Regards,

--
Jeffrey A. Williams
DIR. Internet Network Eng/SR. Java/CORBA Development Eng.
Information Network Eng. Group. INEG. INC.
E-Mail jwkckid1&#167;ix.netcom.com