Let's talk about ICANN

Mon Dec 12 12:00:52 UTC 2005

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----- Original Message ----- 
From: "JC Dill" <lists05 at equinephotoart.com>
To: <nanog at merit.edu>
Sent: Monday, December 12, 2005 10:23 PM
Subject: Let's talk about ICANN

>
> I'm surprised that I've yet to see any mention here on NANOG about the
> Internet Governance Forum discussions that were held at the WSIS /
> United Nations summit in Tunisia a few weeks ago.  From my reading of
> the various articles, it appears that the EU together with some
> developing nations wanted to wrest "control of the Internet" away from
> the US and ICANN. Was everyone unaware of this, or were you just
> counting on Vint Cerf to talk sense into the delegates from the other
> countries?
>

It's old news by now but I don't see your point in saying Vint would talk 
"common sense" as if implying taking control away would have been against 
common sense. I can see the point that countries that put down all sorts of 
commonly talked about subjects would have made a mash of it but then that is 
entirely America/ICANN's fault for getting into the situation. Clinton 
and/or advisors were very smart in his term in office. They could foresee 
Internet and what it would mean to the world. At the same time they were 
incredibly dumb. It *SHOULD* have been registered as a company, worldwide 
and the offered free to all. In that way they could have kept control. Now, 
though there is some leeway, there is no certainty. Let's face it - when, 
not "if" China makes it's own version, that will be when the shit hits the 
fan BUT as they have the Beijing Olympics and wresting control of Internet 
away from what it is now would seriously harm them, they wont do anything 
until it is over. THAT is when China will make it's own brand Internet.

IMHO, we will end up back in the old BBS days of the 80s except it will be 
Internet style BBS communication, if this shattering occurs but don't fret 
too much. There is yet another glimmer of hope on the horizon. Keep an eye 
on the upcoming 3D computing environment and virtual technology. When that 
becomes a reliable and cheap enough source, that will replace Internet and 
if, this time, USA trademarks it as I described above, there should be no 
problems with people HONESTLY meeting "in cyberspace".

Greg. 