ARIN Web Hosting Policy (fwd)

[sigma at pair.com]

> If a browser that doesn't support name-based vhosts, then it also can't
> see a huge amount of the content or hundreds of thousands of vhosts on the
> rest of the net either. This user is making a choice.

I did not mean to imply this was a large percentage.

> > 2) other important related services such as FTP and mail retrieval
> > cannot be virtualized except on a per-IP basis
> 
> There are plenty of technical solutions to do both of these. In

Who are you or ARIN to dictate those?  Within reason, perhaps.  I am not
aware of any suitable technical solution to virtualizing either service
I mentioned.

> I can't imagine that circumventing rogue filtering services is
> justification for IP addresses. That situation would be between you and
> the filtering service.

In the real world, those are real problems.  Right now it's a manageable
problem.  It becomes a severe problem under the proposed restriction.

> > 5) hosts that are forced to rely on name-based hosting are at a significant
> > competitive disadvantage in the marketplace
> 
> I would imagine this statement comes as a shock to those of us that have
> been hosting thousands of sites on name-based vhosts for years without
> complaint.

I'm sorry for you.  I stand by my opinion.

> > pair Networks,
> > Inc has a strong vested interest in its technical approach and business
> > model, and will take whatever steps necessary to protect both.  We prefer
> > to work within the system first.
> 
> I would be interested in seeing how you intend to circumvent the
> system. I don't see how you think a statement like this could gain
> you any sort of credibility for your arguments.

At no point whatsoever did I state any intent to circumvent the system.
However, if ARIN changes an existing policy in a way that severely impacts
our business model and technical approach, there are two reasonable ways to
address it.  One is by providing feedback and working within the system to
improve the policy.  Another is to litigate.  I hate people who sue first,
think later.  Litigation is not the preferred answer, to say the least.  But
that option has to remain in consideration :(

I haven't had time to participate in ARIN or a number of other
organizations I'm interested in.  Since it seems that ARIN may be making
decisions that affect my business (and many others') without consulting
them beforehand, I'll be taking part after all.

If you are satisfied with your name-based services, why exactly are you
concerned about the approach others take?  Is it more likely to be purist
concern for preserving IP space, or that you would like to see your
competitors severely inconvenienced, to your own competitive advantage?

Kevin Martin
sigma at pair.com