[arin-ppml] The term "legacy" and proposals 171, 172, & 173

[Chris Grundemann]

ARIN Community,

I have finally caught up on all the recent email threads here on PPML
regarding the term "legacy" and the related policy proposals (props
171, 172, & 173). I have several general thoughts that I'd like for
you to consider:

# The term "legacy" has been used informally by many in this community
for quite some time to simply mean 'assignments and allocations made
before ARIN / before the current RIR structure.'
# Internet numbers have value only in context.
# I have not, in the recent conversations nor in any of the multitudes
of previous similar conversations, heard/seen a network operator who
is also a "legacy resource holder" support the suggestion to grant
advantage to organizations who happened to be in place at the time
that "legacy" allocations and assignments were made (aka the 80s). In
fact, I have seen many "legacy registrants" stand up in opposition to
such proposals.
# The value of the Internet is in it's openness and ability to grow
and evolve around the world. Just as I oppose efforts by authoritarian
regimes to filter and control access to the Internet, I oppose efforts
by folks from any country to apply arbitrary local regulations to
control access to this global communications medium. The Internet
belongs to no single individual, organization, or nation. It relies
completely on cooperation and coordination, and efforts to stymie this
are efforts to destroy the value of the Internet, whether those who
propose them understand this or not.

I ask all participants here to consider two key questions in all
policy discussions:

1) Who is it that is making an argument? Are they speaking as a
network operator? As an Internet user? What is their *primary*
motivation?
2) In the words of Henry Hazlitt: "The art of economics consists in
looking not merely at the immediate but at the longer effects of any
act or policy; it consists in tracing the consequences of that policy
not merely for one group but for all groups." In other words: How will
any proposed policy change effect EVERYONE who uses the Internet, not
just tomorrow but over the next 10, 20, or 100 years?

Cheers,
~Chris

(As always, my thoughts expressed here are mine and mine alone, they
in no way represent the views of any of my employers, organizations,
affiliations, colleagues, associates, friends, neighbors, pets or
anyone else. In fact, they may not even represent my own opinions by
the time you read them.)

-- 
@ChrisGrundemann
http://chrisgrundemann.com