[arin-ppml] Update on 2009-3: Global Policy for the Allocationof IPv4 Blocks to RIRs

[Scott Leibrand]

Kevin Kargel wrote:
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: arin-ppml-bounces at arin.net [mailto:arin-ppml-bounces at arin.net] On
>> Behalf Of Owen DeLong
>>
>> On Aug 17, 2009, at 12:59 PM, William Herrin wrote:
>>
>>     
>>> On Mon, Aug 17, 2009 at 2:52 PM, Owen DeLong<owen at delong.com> wrote:
>>>       
>>>>>> Where authorized by their respective chosen policies and
>>>>>> strategies,
>>>>>> each RIR shall designate IPv4 address space recovered from its
>>>>>> registrants for return to the IANA.
>>>>>>             
>>>> Bill's language sounds like all resources recovered under our
>>>> policies
>>>> should be returned to IANA.  I am not comfortable with that wording.
>>>>         
>>> Would you be happier with "where permitted" or "where allowed" instead
>>> of "where authorized?" Perhaps, "To the extent permitted by".
>>>
>>> Fill in the blank man: _______, each RIR shall designate IPv4 address
>>> space recovered from its registrants for return to the IANA.
>>>
>>>       
>> The problem is SHALL.
>>
>> s/shall/may/ and most of the preceding words work.
>>     
>
> The problem with "may" in the absence of "may not" is that then the entire
> clause is no longer policy but only a suggestion.  There are better venues
> for suggestions than in policy.
>   

This sentence is more than a suggestion, because it is needed to define 
"designated address space" for use in the subsequent sentence: "Each RIR 
shall at quarterly intervals return any such designated address space to 
the IANA in aggregated blocks of /24 or larger, for inclusion in the 
recovered IPv4 pool."

While turning onto the freeway on-ramp may be optional, once you've done 
so you MUST continue to the next exit.

All of the options under discussion basically do the same thing, 
AFAICT.  We're just trying to come up with the best language to express it.

-Scott