[arin-ppml] Borders sells their /16 block

[Mike Burns]

>That's correct, but doesn't also reflect the fact that the assignments in 
>the
region were made under a long line of US Government contracts (including 
IANA
and InterNIC), the responsibility for which was transferred to ARIN 
specifically
to give the users of IP numbers in the region a voice in the policies by 
which
they are managed and allocated.[*]

>[*] <http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=102819>


All the chain of custody documents I have seen start with the US Commerce 
contract.



>> ARIN controls the Whois database, and can do what they wish with the data 
>> therein, but when attempting to negate the uniqueness of addresses, we 
>> tread on dangerous ground, and not just the danger that ARIN will be 
>> liable for tortious interference in the sales contract between the 
>> address rights holder and the buyer.

>An amusing theory. Also worth considering is that someone trying to sell
integers, who knows in advance that any uniqueness is the result of the
registry which they don't plan on complying with, may easily be seen as
engaging in fraud (particularly if they don't make the purchaser well
aware of this little detail at the time of the transaction.)  In most
states, there are very clear laws about this sort of behavior, although
they were passed due to the creative 'sale' of bridges and swampland.

>/John


An amusing counter-theory, I hope for ARIN's sake this is not the 
double-secret legal strategy which may not be spoken of.
But then we are neither of us lawyers, maybe it's time for ARIN counsel to 
address this issue openly and transparently?
After all, the numbers were presumed to be unique when they were doled out 
prior to the ARIN registry's existence.
Phone numbers are also integers, yet they are bought and sold. Domains are 
just letters and numbers, yet they are bought and sold.

Regards,
Mike