Interrogatories (opportunity to contribute)

[Tim Bass]

Ladies and Gentlemen:

After lurking on this list for some time, it has become
obvious (at least to me) this group is just another
iteration of the CIDRD-WG and enjoys the same emotional
support and prejudicial bias famous in that WG.

However, I'm disinterested in emotional and circular
arguments which defy logic, fear tactics, and deception;
which has dominated this issue for years.

I am going to submit a set of Interrogatories via the
US judicial system which addresses basic questions,
to relevant organizations, regarding core IP issues:

These Interrogatories will begin with a set of basic
questions such as (worded better than these quick
examples):

(1)  Does your organization claim copyright to the
     Internet Protocol?

(2)  Does your organization claim ownership rights
     to the Internet Protocol Address space?

(3)  Under what authority does your organization claim
     to regulate, administer, register or control
     the use of IP address space?

&c. &c. (moving to a level of finer granularity as
         the questions progress).

I'm sorry to be inclined to proceed with these Interrogatories;
but it is quite obvious this issue will not be resolved;
and the public trust has been violated by both the NSF and
Network Solutions, Inc. (SAIC) and the I* organizations.

Discussion and opposition is futile as it is apparent the
future is for *some org* to regulate the Internet by
charging for address space.   There is no time nor energy
for pointless argumentation and opposition.

I was informed, via a FOIA reply from NSF, this group was for
discussing the proposal; and I was informed by SAIC
they were not convinced address space charges were necessary.
However, the same old  provider based address space proponents
are here, on this list, dominating the discussion and shouting
down and intimidating all who disagree.

Enough is enough.  This has gone too far already.

Anyone who has specific questions they think would be useful
in these Interrogatories, please forward them to me.  I am
happy to review them and include them, if possible.

Emotional arguments by provider based proponents, threats,
insults, and censure is totally unnecessary.  My mind
is firm on this matter and the Interrogatories will be
filed soon.  I cannot be intimated, threatened, nor
insulted into inaction (period).

It was my firm hope, the Internet Community and the supporting
commercial vendors would energize to build a scalable exterior
routing protocol where the service access points (IP addresses)
would have no value.  However, after watching and participating
in this debate for over four years, there is little hope for
a scalable paradigm when all parties are advocating economic
and administrative solutions (and all technical proposals
have either abandoned, shouted down, or ignored by the vendors
and vendor supporters and employees within I* organizations).

I cannot, in good conscious, stand by and watch 'the elite' claim
IP address space rights and create an economic market, based on
a poorly designed exterior routing protocol track.
Furthermore, I have no interest in participating
in emotional, circular, arguments which do little for
the future of a scalable Internet.  This is especially
true as IPv6 matures.

My vision of the Internet is one where IP address space is
abundant, not polluted, and routable by a  scalable paradigm.
It is unethical to allow commercial interests to place IP
address space and the Internet Community under siege and create
a economic commodity out of a numbering system.  To allow this
to happen, in my opinion, is to allow a great injustice to
occur and I do not think, men and women of good intent, should
waste their valuable time in this continuing debate, which
in over 15 years, has produced little technical progress,
made a mockery of the intelligence of the Internet Community,
and allowed a self-proclaimed group of 'elite' to drive
the Internet down to a new low, all in the guise of their
'vision of the commercial Internet'.

Relevant contributions to the Interrogatories are welcome
and appreciated.  However, I will proceed independently,
without outside input, if necessary.

Tim

--
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