RADB Fees

Mon Nov 1 16:53:51 UTC 1999

"Roeland M.J. Meyer" wrote:
> 
> I might suggest that it will end when our infrastructure gets out of the
> red. It may surprise many to know that the major infrastructure has been in
> the red from day-one. Volunteer services are on the debit-side of the
> ledger. Without some offsetting credits, the entire system is off-balance
> and potentially unstable.
> 
> Why does it not bother anyone that most of our top-level infrastructure is
>         1) Paid for, or subsidized, by USG/NSF funding

Where?

>         2) root-servers.net is strictly voluntary (and unpaid)

We will know that is a problem when we run out of volunteers.  Until then, 
it must be a "good thing".

>         3) IANA has no detectable revenue stream

Hmmm, I seem to remember that the ISoc/IAB/IETF is funding its share.

>         4) The BIND-master (Vixie) has to go begging for funding (ISC)

This is a crying shame.  But, I thought it was working out.  Am I uninformed?

>         5) IETF is strictly voluntary.

Goodness gracious, a founding principle!  You would prefer what, instead?

>         6) Generally insufficient financial support for the whole mess.
> 
> Why is that? In spite of all this, the system keep running. When they
> finally figure out that they actually have to take care of "brick and
> mortar" (you know, roof overhead and bread on the table) issues a bunch of
> whiners show up to complain.
> 

WSimpson at UMich.edu
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