Subject: RE: The power of the IETF

From: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1999 10:01:27 -0500

The IETF is not meant, nor is it, an organization of regulation or
legislature. The only reason for its present existence is to allow the
internet population to agree on and follow a standardized set of "Best
Current Practices based on current technology and a desire to be able to
keep packets moving from this side of the globe to the other."

This basically means that it is in existence just to make sure the internet
continues to interoperate through the varying levels of old and yet to be
deployed technology.

That's all...

-----Original Message-----
From: Chris Rapier [mailto:[email-masked]]
Sent: Sunday, March 14, 1999 10:12 PM
To: [email-masked]
Subject: The power of the IETF

I'm reasonably confident that certain readers of this have a highly
inflated sense of the true power of the IETF. This being the case I
would like to take a moment to sum up my feelings regarding this power.

The IETF wields *no* real power. Not a damn bit. They do not legislate.
They cannot enforce. They can not exact punishment. They do not speak
with one voice. The only thing the IETF can do is persuade. The impact
of their persuasion comes solely from confidence that others have placed
in the process of the group. In many ways they are the best examples of
a toothless dog we have today.

Why some people assume the IETF has power is beyond me. I think it may
stem from a need to blame something for their own failures. To place
blame on some amorphous evil entity is much easier than recognizing
one's own shortcomings. Instead of critical self examinations they
thrash wildly at anything that is successful and effective. They cry out
against repression that doesn't exist and cabals made out of the mists
of their minds. Its kind of sad really. Still, better they rail against
the IETF than join some militia group.

---

From: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 17 Mar 1999 10:01:27 -0500

That's all...