NANOG/IEPG/ISOC's current role

Wed Apr 3 00:04:33 UTC 1996

> It has been clear over the past (years?..... time sure flies....)
> there has been a strong and very vocal pro-filtering Keep
> the Routing Table Small at *any* cost, group of advocates and
> protagonists in the NANOG mailing list.

Its just as clear that there is a group opposed to this policy/practice.
(And I thinks fair to say they are vocal as well)

> It is easy to reach the conjecture that the _perception_ of *others*
> is; having many strong and vocal pro-filtering  protagonists in NANOG;
> and given the fact that the few who warned that selective
> route filtering was very problematic were flamed-broiled and
> none came to their defense 

No one who spoke out against the various proposed filtering
solutions was prohibited from speaking. Not one individual was told
"We have voted and NANOG believes X so you should do X and just shut up."
Those who did not believe the pro-filtering vocal group continued and still
do continue to speak up.  Any one who examines the archives can see those
open discusssions

.... pointless and slanted metaphor deleted
> 
> It is not a strong leap of the imagination to believe that NANOG,
> the vocal majority, supports selective route-filtering to control
> routing table growth and was very aggressive to oppress the
> those whom dared to stand alone and challenge there will.

It may not be a strong leap of imagination but its certainly sloppy
thinking.  It is also not true that just because a fraction of a group
supports a thing - the GROUP supports it. The sum of the parts does not
always equal the whole. The NANOG group has made numerous efforts to
let people know what things that the GROUP does and does not endorse.

> Please keep in mind that as in *any* group, NANOG included, by 
> virture of allowing a few dominate voices to represent the
> group, does bear responsibility for the perception others
> view the group.  

Who is preventing you or any other person from expressing your views?
The cold hard truth is that any fraction that wants to can speak
and attempt to sway people to their view. If you come up with a real
solution to the problem, this is an extremely competative market. Some
one would love to have a way to keep their router up and running at the
point a Cisco or Bay box is puking its guts out.  

I have listened to your proposals and points of view because frequently
when a paradigm shift occurs it is indeed an outsider who brings it to
the world.  However that does not mean that just because one is an outsider
one has the new truth. The pro-filtering group has presented alot of
hard data and solutions. Yes there is pain in those solutions but I prefer
it to hand waving.

bjp at eng.umd.edu                        |  Disclaimer:  Can you be sure I even
uunet!eng.umd.edu!istari               |  exist:  Let alone represent anyone
Brad Passwaters (Network Ronin)        |  or anything.
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