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Fri Apr 15 17:37:54 UTC 1994

> 
> If NSF were to waive the NSFNET Backbone Service AUP **for the sole 
> purpose of assisting providers in effective CIDRization/aggregation to 
> avoid Internet collapse**, would that be of any help?
> 
> I have alerted the NSF Counsel to this possibility, and they are of 
> course concerned that everyone will cancel their current commercial 
> contracts, switch their traffic to NSFNET, and hurl all the private 
> providers into bankruptcy.
> 
> I should welcome your comments; if you support the idea (the waiver, not
> hurtling into ruin), I may also enlist your help convincing Counsel and
> the IG. 

I see no reason to waiver the AUP. Essentially adherence to the AUP
has been based on an honor system up to now, and I don't see any reason
why this should change. What would make sense is to:

	- have all interested service providers sign a (formal?) agreement
          that they will inform their customers of the restrictions on
          usage of the NSFnet backbone service (possibly adding an explicit
          pointer  to the AUP in their contracts).

	- do away with the PRDB / NACR's.

I really don't see how this would significantly change the current 
situation (expect that we would all have less work).

Simon Poole