[ppml] Re: With additional comments on global policy RE: Encouraging return of legacy space

[Lee Howard]

I hope you don't mind my summarizing. . . 

On Fri, 4 Oct 2002, Mury wrote:

> Date: Fri, 04 Oct 2002 15:33:12 -0500 (CDT)
> From: Mury <mury at goldengate.net>
> To: John M. Brown <john at chagres.net>
> Cc: ppml at arin.net
> Subject: [ppml] Re: With additional comments on global policy RE:
>     Encouraging return of legacy space
> 
> 
> But, having contributed, if you can call it that, I wonder if I've done
> any good.  Many times it feels like a few of us are just bantering back
> and forth.  Do any of the comments here ever get summarized and taken to
> meetings?

Yes.  Whenever a policy proposal is presented, included in the presentation
is a sense of the discussion from the mailing lists.  

 
> How could someone in my shoes actually get some sort of policy proposed,
> whether it's a good idea or just plain sucks?

All of the proposed policies on the docket for the upcoming meeting
originated with email to an ARIN list, or occasionally to ARIN staff.
Sometimes the specific wording is the staff's best attempt at intepreting what the original poster intended.  You can look at the upcoming meeting
agenda or the summary of proposals, and compare them to list archives.
		http://www.arin.net/ARIN-X/agenda.html
		http://www.arin.net/policy/proposal_archive.html
		http://www.arin.net/mailing_lists/index.html

The only trick is that in order to provide enough time for useful
discussion:

    To be considered for presentation at these meetings the proposal 
    should be submitted to ARIN staff six (6) weeks prior to commencement 
    of the meetings to allow time for it to be posted and an announcement 
    to be sent out at least thirty (30) days before the meetings convene.
		http://www.arin.net/policy/ipep.html

Sometimes it helps identify your idea as a proposal if you use the magic
words, "I propose that. . . "

> It would also be helpful for some of the more knowledgable people chime in
> with background and concrete numbers on certain issues.  Yes, there are
> 3-5 of them that do, but I think there should be more.  As far as I know,
> staff memebers from ARIN do not do much participation.  Maybe they are
> posting as themselves and I just don't know they are involved.  But it
> seems to me they should be able to provide data and background to
> discussions.  If it's really discussions that ARIN is looking for.

The Board, Advisory Council, and staff do watch all of the lists.  As a
Board member and the Treasurer, I try to provide information where I can 
without influencing the debate.  Occasionally I believe that my experience
in my day job will help, but I still try not to prejudice debate.  I don't
want to speak for others, but I can imagine that staff tries to maintain
neutrality, too.


> Case in point:  The whole discussion about the legacy IP space.  Are we
> just trying to brush that one under the rug?

I am certainly open to new perspectives on that debate.  It does not seem
to me that we have clear consensus on whether to levy fees on legacy
holders, or whether that would be legal, or whether it's a worthwhile
excercise.  In my opinion, that is why we need mailing lists and a public
policy meeting--arguments can be presented on the list, and we can take a
poll at the meeting.


> You made a closing comment about how ARIN is a bottom up based membership.  
> This butt (me) would like some real feedback when things are suggested by
> myself or other people.  Or, I need some real tools to take my suggestion
> to another level.  Or, you can just tell me to get lost now and I'll save
> us all some time.  I have plenty of other things to do and people to
> annoy.

Personally, I appreciate your participation in the process.   I won't tell
you an idea is good or bad, but I'll provide additional information if
necessary.  

If you need more information to help you decide about something, ask for 
it.  Such as:
"Hey, ARIN staff, at current rates of consumption, how long until we run
out of IPv4 space?"  
http://www.iana.org/assignments/ipv4-address-space  shows two /8 assignments
in 2002 and more than 40 /8s remaining.
"Hey, ARIN, how much money do you give ICANN, anyway?"  
http://www.arin.net/library/corp_docs/budget.html  shows a budget of 
$188,480 for FY2002  
All kinds of information is available from ARIN's web site, and the site
search (on the left navbar, not the whois search at the top) will reveal
all kinds of stuff.

I also recommend going to the public policy meetings.
 
> Mury


Lee