[9407] in Commercialization & Privatization of the Internet
Re: Aikens last (but long) posting/comments on ISOC and related issues
daemon@ATHENA.MIT.EDU (Miles R Fidelman)
Tue Jan 4 14:33:20 1994
Date: Tue, 4 Jan 1994 14:04:01 -0500 (EST)
From: Miles R Fidelman <fidelman@civicnet.org>
To: Peter Deutsch <peterd@bunyip.com>
Cc: AIKEN@ccc.nersc.gov, braden@isi.edu, ietf@ietf.cnri.reston.va.us,
In-Reply-To: <9401041742.AA16058@expresso.bunyip.com>
I'd like to echo what Peter wrote:
On Tue, 4 Jan 1994, Peter Deutsch wrote:
> Personally, I think it more useful to ask "what do we need
> from the Internet Society" and work from this list
> forward, rather than say "this is the list of things
> professional societies do" and work backwards from that.
> If that means that ISOC takes on roles not seen in other
> similar groups, as far as I'm concerned that's great.
>
>.....
>
> The structure may not be perfect, but it _is_ a structure
> and a mechanism is there for those who don't like it to
> attempt to change it. I don't think things are perfect (for
> example, personally I think we need a bit more openess in
> such areas as the selection process for IESG and IAB
> members), but I think it was not a bad start.
>
>.......
>
> If we examine the needs of the Internet community at this
> point in our history, we can identify lots of things that
> need to be done. Among other things, we need:
>
> a) a stable, workable standards setting mechanism.
>
> b) mechanisms for dissemination of information
> and education, both in developed networking
> environments and in areas where networking has
> yet to take off.
>
> c) Vendor-neutral forums for commercial entities
> to meet and discuss their common problems.
>
> d) Someone to keep an eye on the legal and moral
> issues, such as export laws, questions of copyright
> and intellectual property and a whole lot more.
>
> e) a representative voice before both governmental
> agencies and other standards setting bodies
> throughout the world.
>
This certainly seems like a good list to start from. Without at least
the above, the Internet as we know it seems unlikely to withstand the
entrance of TCI, Bell Atlantic, and all the other large players who are
jumping onto the information infrastructure bandwagon.
It strikes me as unlikely that the laissez faire, entrepreneurial approach
(that has served us well to date) will continue to work as a) the net
continues to grow exponentially, b) the net is becoming truly operational
in nature, c) the environment is becoming increasingly commercialized, d)
a small number of big players (i.e. DARPA, NSF, DOE, NASA) no longer have
the position or clout to act as enlightened dictators, and e) major
players who have large dollars to throw around, and who can and will use
regulatory mechanisms to push their own interestes enter the game.
Somebody - be it ISOC, FARNET the CIX, the FCC, or whomever, has to step
up to being the duly authorized "keeper of the Internet." Just like the
telephone world has a mix of state PUCs, the FCC, CCITT, and Bellcore to
make sure all the pieces fit together; and the cable world has local
franchising authorities, state PUCs, the FCC, and CableLabs; the Internet
needs to have some official institutions to set the rules, make sure
everything fits together, arbitrate disputes, maintain a level playing
field, etc.
The ISOC seems like the most representative body we have to at least
convene this discussion - whether or not the ISOC takes on a long term
institutional role. It also seems like this discussion had better move
quickly to some kind of resolution. As we speak, legislation is moving
through congress, and more is coming, that will shape the regulatory
framework for telecommunications over the next few decades. The
telephone network, broadcasting, cable, and cellular are all explicitly
addressed in one or more bills - and have strong industry groups
promoting specific positions. The Internet is barely touched upon in
most of the legislation, and has at best very weak representation for the
interests of the Internet community.
So, perhaps the real question we need to address is: What institutional
mechanisms - standards, regulatory, political, etc. - are needed to
support the long-term health and viability of the Internet; and how to we
act to put these mechanisms in place?
Miles
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