Punko, the background behind this runs deep and drives to the core of many who have spent their professional lives cultivating the Internet.
The 'net was not developed and perfected by the dominant common carriers or the larger telecom equipment vendors. Rather, it was honed and brought to the level that it is today largely on a voluntary basis by individuals and universities. Granted (pun intended), under government funding and collaboration, for the most part.
But now, with the popularity of IP being what it is today, it is feared by many within the 'net's legacy circles that those parties (the traditional carriers and vendors) will now want to come in and exert influence to keep the 'net in check, while, ostensibly, improving on it.
The Internet has been heading towards a stupid core/intelligent edge-end point model, getting away from the intelligent core/stupid end point model. The latter has characterized the carriers networks for decandes.
The netheads fear that if ITU-like standards become the norm and membership fees are suddenly required to participate in working groups (like many international forums require today costing upwards of tens of thousands of dollars per seat), that this will lock out many of those same pioneering types who previously had been responsible for getting IP to the level that it has achieved to date.
And there is another side to this story. A large part of what is behind Cook's current objections and opinions have been spawned by what has been alleged to be the surreptitious means by which the IANA functions were transformed into ICANN's. This was done, allegedly, with the help of White House advisors who facilitated getting certain individuals to be named into ICANN's offices through a very murky contract process that was sole sourced, effectively, and the fact that ICANN has started to hold Internet governance meetings behind closed doors for the first time in the 'net's history.
It actually runs deeper than that, as well. I don't think that this is the right place to discuss it, though, because it could very well consume the thread. I would suggest that if you want to get a discussion going on this topic, perhaps starting a new thread would be a good idea. Or, better yet, go over to the "Next Generation Internet, Internet2" thread and pop the question there. HTH.
Subject 24461
Regards, Frank Coluccio |
