Subject: RE: regarding potential new IANA initial board members

From: "Marsh, Miles (Gene)" <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1998 10:37:13 -0400

Bob,

I agree that not all is bad with the way the Internet has been formed to
date.  I do trust those who have been involved to continue to contribute in
a meaningful fashion.  From a technical perspective, I believe the direction
to date has been quite  astute.

However, There is much to be said for gathering additional opinions and
perspectives, as the role of the Internet has so dramatically changed in the
past few years.  As the Internet affects and is affected by changing
communications and societal needs, a broader range of knowledge and
experience needs to be considered.

Any new governing structure must be open to the opinions and views of all,
including the great masses which, while technically immature, represent the
greatest growth potential for the Internet.  A well supported, open minded
group guiding the direction of the Internet for the future would be well
supported by a populace whose opinions are heard and considered.

I believe this is EXACTLY the time to invoke "democracy", but in a fashion
which provides the opportunity for the Internet "community" members to
contribute in manners consistent with their knowledge and experiences.

Gene Marsh
Diebold Incorporated

-----Original Message-----
From: Bob Stewart [mailto:[email-masked]]
Sent: Monday, September 28, 1998 9:17 AM
To: [email-masked]
Subject: Re: regarding potential new IANA initial board members

At 01:07 PM 9/27/98 -0700, Karl Auerbach wrote:
>   I might also mention that there is a body of opinion to the effect that
>   the only legitimate body to determine which set of proposals should be
>   adopted is the Internet Community, as a whole and in all of its parts.

The Internet has become so huge and so diverse there no longer is an
Internet community in the useful sense that once existed.

There was a time when the people in the Internet knew and trusted one
another and at least a basic grasp of the issues was relatively widespread.
 That doesn't even being to be true now.  By far the vast majority of
Internet users, who I would think are included under the umbrella of
"community," don't have the vaguest clue how such an organism should be
organized.

This is not a time to invoke democracy.  To have a hope of working to the
good, democracy depends on educated voters constrained by a Constitution
that keeps the majority from oppressing and destroying the minority.  Such
an environment does not exist relative to the Internet.

Our only hope is that people of wisdom and good will can prevail through
the muddle of conflicting claims of authority and that a sufficient quorum
of world governments will recognize the resulting organization and allow it
to wield the power it needs to keep the Internet operational and reasonably
free of those who would destroy it for their own personal power and gain.

I certainly don't consider the past leadership of the Internet as flawless
but all told they haven't done so badly.  I trust them to shape the future.

	Bob

---

From: Bob Allisat <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1998 11:08:26 -0400 (EDT)

Gene -

 The most ironic thing about
 this entire process is that
 it could be superceded in a
 day if enough people with
 the skills decided to program
 and route around Postel and
 the Legacy systems. Less
 even. And the amount of sheer
 new money could easily fund
 such a revolution. Cheers.

 Bob Allisat

 Free Community Network . [email-masked] . http://fcn.net

---

From: Bob Allisat <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 28 Sep 1998 11:08:26 -0400 (EDT)

Gene -

 Bob Allisat