Subject: Military model internet: failed experiment

From: Bob Allisat <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 1999 03:20:28 -0500 (EST)

Ellen Rony wrote:
> ... only five people (plus one by telephone), who have no accountability
> to any membership because it is not yet in place, and who profess to
> have little prior experience with the DNS, sat in closed session to
> determine the activities and policies that will affect the future
> administration of this system.  I'd be laughing at this absurdity if
> the situation weren't so truly troubling.

 The problem is not the procedure. This top down, hierarchy
 scales, authoritarian power structure is intergral to the
 legacy Internet all reasonable persons are struggling to
 deal with. The problem arises from the very inception of
 this network in the US military/industrial/consumer complex
 and in the way these people do things, behave and order
 their existances. It is our choice to perpetuate these
 patterns of behaviour if we participate along the lines
 pre-ordained and unmodified. Therefore, by involving your-
 self Ms. Rony and Ms. Dyson, you perpetuate the disorder.

 At the same time as the Internet was in it's infancy there
 were other computer networks competing for attention and
 the prize of hosting the world's communications. It didn't
 hurt that this Internet creature had the backing of the 
 USGOV, Pentagon, CIA and NSA not to mention every sleazy
 US arms maker and scum-bag defense contractor. It is no
 wonder we are witnessing such corrupt, unacceptable and
 abherant activities as ICANN. It is a "feature", an essential
 componant to the Internet as it stands. 

 The only way around this is to so revolutionize the way
 we, as citizens, interact over this medium so that there
 remains nothing of this essentialy totalitarian legacy.
 Or... to found or find another network to take it's place.

 I have discussed ways in which we can route around what
 are fundamentally facist procedures, protocols, institutions
 and personalities. Desktop DNS, entirely decentralized
 decision making, non-proprietary GUI Operating Systems
 and other developments may well turn the tables to favour
 citizens over American Spook agencies and Armed Forces.
 Then again the levers of US power may be so ingrained as
 to necessitate an utter abandonment of the Internet as
 a failed experiment.

 Where we go in that event is a very interesting question.
 First it would be benificial to study the history and cyber-
 geography of other, failed networks. Fido-net being the
 largest and most well-known. The GUI "One-Net" being a
 smaller rival but rather more interesting. Then we would
 have to set about designing a replacement with inbuilt
 and intrinsic protections of all those rights and freedoms
 we so cherish. Which are being run roughshod and wrecked
 by a military style junta the Internet seems unable to
 shakle off. Perhaps because it is the plan and purpose of
 the network. Perhaps because that is the intention of 
 those who funded it's inception and powered it's rise to
 global dominance.

 We have the choice.

 Bob Allisat

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

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From: Bob Allisat <[email-masked]>
Date: Mon, 15 Mar 1999 03:20:28 -0500 (EST)

We have the choice.

 Bob Allisat