[arin-discuss] [arin-announce] Community Consultation: Future Direction for the ARIN Fee Schedule

[Ted Mittelstaedt]

On 10/14/2014 6:46 AM, Cort Buffington wrote:
> Disclosure: I am with a smallish statewide R&E network, an LRSA
> holder for 2 x /16s, and “normal” ISP holder of 1x /17 and
> 1x/32(IPv6). Also, I have never held any illusion that the special
> treatment of the LRSA holders would be permanent or even long-term. I
> always expected it to be a way to placate us for a few years while we
> adjusted to the changing world.
>
> Discussion on the Fee Schedules: Underneath the equations and
> calculations is a question about what ARIN is, or will be. I see two
> competing paradigms: * ARIN sells the right to use IP addresses and
> charges fees based on the number of IPs used. * ARIN provides
> registration and records maintenance services and charges based on
> the cost to provide those services.
>
> One of these describes an organization that is selling something of
> value, and revenue is generated based on volume of sales, with
> perhaps discounts for large buys (or penalties for small ones). The
> other describes a (probably non-profit) organization that is offering
> a service and charges fees based on the fair recovery of expenses in
> providing those services.
>
> I believe ARIN should first answer the question of what it is,

ARIN cannot do that.  We, the ARIN community, can do that.  ARIN exists
because we wanted it to exist, because originally IP blocks were
assigned off a spiral notebook

I'm getting tired of this business which a lot of people seem to be
engaging in of trying to disassociate ARIN as an entity from the
community of RIR's ISPs, Telcos, and whoever else that has a stake
in IP address management.

Martin I can excuse, he's got a chip on his shoulder.  You, not so
much.  You have no axe to grind, please do not adopt Martin's divisive
language of us, we, them, etc.

ARIN as it stands is "option 2" that you have laid out.  Read ARIN's
charter, it's on their website.  If you think that ARIN is not living up
to it's charter, then a thoughtful post to this discussion list
as to why they aren't would be fantastic.  If you think the charter
needs to be changed, then once more a thoughtful post to this list would
be great.

But, I see no future in continuing this discussion on terms that ASSUME
that ARIN is something forced on us and divorced from us.  It is not. 
If you don't like something ARIN is doing - then take it up with the
rest of us - who created ARIN's policies.

WE made ARIN and we can break it.

Ted